iCarly: The Musical
by Color With Marker
Summary: Carly is the new girl at Ridgeway High School, where it's not a normal high school- it's a musical high school! Full of romances, friendships, and oh so much singing!
1. The New Girl In Town

Carly stepped into school, nervous as can be. It was never easy to be the new girl at school, especially when it was in the middle of the year- especially her junior year! With her father being in the navy, and her mother's death when she was younger, she had to live her brother in a new apartment filled with his zany art sculptors and childish decorations that she always loved. It was nearly December in Seattle, and the coldness made Carly shiver; she was always used to it being nice and warm outside, like how it was in Los Angeles. Most of all, she didn't want to be pointed out as the new girl in town. She had prepared herself for today perfectly, with the right amount of eyeliner and lipgloss, her combat boots, dark skinny jeans, She walked through the doors of Ridgeway High School, prepared to have calm first day of school. But the second she walked into school, her eyes laid upon three girls in triangle form. One of them had long auburn hair that hung down to her waist, with jeans and a pink shirt, her high-tops worn to the sole. A girl with dark brown hair stood next to her, with a short skirt and tank top in high heels. The front was a girl with long blonde curls, a red and white striped sweater, dark bootcut jeans, and red high heels. They all had their hips jutted out and their arms out as if they were balancing their hands out evenly. They all turned their heads at the exact same time to Carly, who felt slightly creeped out.

_"Hey look you for that moving van  
>Driving down the street!<br>You better lock up your man  
>before he meets<em>

_The new girl in town."_

The girls spun in a circle, with the blonde standing out front and center nearly the entire time, like the leader of the trio. She smiled as she sang, staring straight forward like the others as if there was an audience.

_"Who just came on the scene."_

What was going on? Carly seemed so confused, but continued to watch anyways.

_"The new girl in town."_

_"Can't be more than sixteen!"_

Carly glanced around, trying to see who else was around. For some odd reason, they were the only four people in the halls. Was that normal around here? Was she supposed to fit into this scene like that?

_"And she's got a way of makin'  
>A boy act like a clown<br>Wo-oo wo-oo wo-oo wo-oo  
>We don't know what to do<br>'bout the new girl in town._

_The new girl in town."_

This time the auburn-haired girl stepped out in front, smiling and waving, as if there was someone there to actually wave to.

_"Seems to dance on air."_

_"The new girl in town."_

Now the brunette took the front, twirling her hair with her finger.

_"She's got the coolest hair!"_

_"You better tell the homecoming queen  
>To hold on to her crown<br>Wo-oo wo-oo wo-oo wo-oo  
>Or she's gonna lose it to<br>The new girl in town."_

_"She's hip!"_

The auburn girl turned, posing with her hip out and a finger on her face, with an innocent look upon her face.

_"So cool!"_

The brunette turned as well, one arm in the air and the other resting on her waist.

_"I'm gonna get her after school!"_

The blonde turned and pretended to punch the air, grinning evilly. Carly gulped, unsure of how real that gesture was. Now the girls moved in a syncronized circle, shuffling around.

_"And yet we'd like to be like her  
>'Cause she's the kitten<br>That the cats prefer!"_

A boy stepped into the hallway, sliding into and knocking over all three of them.

_"Step aside, ladies-"_

"GIBBY!" they cried. All three of them rolled their eyes and stood themselves up as the bell rang. Suddenly, the halls filled with children, bumping Carly around as she looked around in confusion. She felt a hand grab her arm and yank her aimlessly through the crowd. She ended up by a clear area of lockers with the blonde girl.

"You must be new," the girl said. She took Carly's hand and shook it violently. "Sam Puckett."

"I'm Carly, Carly Shay," Carly replied. "And, yeah, I am new."

"Well, better get used to the crazy hustle-and-bustle scene of Seattle," Sam said, shrugging. "And if you think that we're normal-"

"Oh, I didn't think that," Carly muttered. Sam glared at her.

"Alright, chicky, let's get this straight," Sam growled. "Don't interrupt me. Don't tick me off, or there _will_ be consequences." She smiled sweetly. "Otherwise, we're going to be best friends!"

"Okay," Carly said slowly. Just then, the guy who ran into the Sam and the other two girls walked up to Carly and handed her a sheet of paper.

"Here's your class schedule and locker assignment," he said. "By the way, I'm Orenthal Cornelius Gibson."

"What?" Carly asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Or Gibby," he said, shrugging. "Everyone calls me Gibby."

"Oh, my God!" the auburn-haired girl cried as she ran up to Sam. "Have you heard that the new girl has an older brother?"

"Who are you?" Carly asked.

"Wendy," the girl replied quickly. She pulled out her PearPhone and fired off a text. Everyone's phones went off instantly. Sam pulled out hers and read it.

"Yeah, it probably is a push-up bra," Sam snorted. She put her phone away and looked up, her face becoming instantly sour-looking. A boy with brown hair walked up, smirking at her.

"What's up, _Samantha?_" he asked.

"Nothing much, _Fredward,_" Sam replied through clenched teeth.

"Freddie!" he insisted.

"Whatever, Fredwierd." Freddie rolled his eyes, before they laid upon Carly.

"Who's she?" he asked, leaning in closer. Sam's nostrils flared.

"My best friend, Carly," Sam answered, pulling Carly closer to her. She plucked Carly's schedule out of her hand. "And according to this schedule, we're going to Mr. Howard's class right now!"

"_Samantha Puckett to the principal's office!_" a voice over the speakers. Sam groaned and rolled her eyes.

"What did you do this time?" Wendy asked. She pulled her phone out again. "Tell me quick! I need new gossip ASAP!"

"I wasn't the one who took the wheels off of Mrs. Briggs' car," Sam muttered. "It was my Uncle Carmine." She grabbed Carly's hand and dragged into the office with her.

"Why are you taking me?" Carly cried.

"You seem likable, so maybe Principal Franklin will go easy on me if you're there," Sam explained quickly. She opened the door to the office and walked in there.

"Sam, do you know what happened to the wheels on Mrs. Briggs' new Mercedes?" Principal Franklin. "She said that they disappeared within the past thirty minutes."

"Well, I would have been doing bad stuff, _but_ I was showing Carly Shay around," Sam lied. Principal Franklin gave Carly a look, before nodding.

"Very well, Sam," he sighed. "Get to your next class."

"Will do, Ted!" Sam saluted her principal and took off, dragging Carly behind her.

"SAMANTHA!" the principal shouted after them.

"Is everyday like this?" Carly asked.

"Pretty much," Sam answered.


	2. Last of the American Girls She's a Rebel

_**(A/N: I've honestly always wanted to do this, and I'm going to attempt my best at this. I will NOT do any official pairings, but mix and match them all up.**__** Enjoy!)**_

"Dude, did you see what Sam's Uncle Carmine did to Mrs. Briggs' car this morning?" Brad asked his group of friends, laughing. "It was wicked!" The entire group laughed from their seats around the cafeteria table. Brad was the only one not sitting on a chair, but rather on the edge of the table.

"You said it!" Gibby agreed, fist-bumping him.

"Dude, she's _smoking_ hot! All of the girls in this school are!" Brad looked over to Freddie and lightly punched his shoulder. "Right, the chicks here are smoking-?"

"Yeah, I heard you the first time," Freddie groaned. "I just can't believe that the new girl is best friends with Sam!"

"New girl?" Brad choked on the water he was drinking. "NEW GIRL?" Brad jumped up and started looking around. "New girl where?"

"Oh, you haven't heard?" one of their friends, Pete, piped up. "Carly Shay moved here with her brother from L.A. and today is her first day."

"And ALL of you knew?" Brad cried. The other guys nodded in response, and Brad let out a loud moan.

"There she is!" Jonah hissed. The others punched each other and fixed their hair as Carly walked up to them.

"Hi!" she greeted perkily. "I have a question-"

"And I have an answer!" Brad claimed. He pulled the chair Freddie was sitting in from under him and set it out for Carly to sit in. She graciously accepted it while Freddie fell back and hollered in pain.

"Dude!" he shouted.

"Shush, Carly Shay has a question for me and I must answer it!" Brad focused all of his attention to Carly immediately. "So, what is it, my dear? If it's who I am, the name is Brad."

"Well, I was wondering about Sam," Carly began. All of the guys exchanged looks and raised their eyebrows.

"So, what exactly do you want to know about Lil' Ole Samantha Puckett?" Brad asked in a country accent.

"You're creeping me out," Carly admitted. "But, since you seem to have such an intriguing interest of Sam, what is she like? Since she's my first friend in Seattle, I don't want her to hate me. Like, anything specific?"

"You want to know about Sam?" Freddie snorted. He stood up and let out a cackle. "I have _quite_ a few things to say about Sam-"

"Ignore Freddie," Brad interrupted, nervousness in his voice. "I'll tell you all about Sam!"

"Brad, really, that's not necessary-" Carly tried to say, before being promptly cut off with music and Brad's singing.

_"She puts her makeup on like graffiti on the walls of the heartland  
>She's got a little book of conspiracies right in her hand."<em>

"What's going on?" Carly asked. Jonah shushed her and covered her mouth with his hand.

_"She is paranoid, endangered species headed into extinction  
>She is one of a kind, well, she's the last of the American girls-"<em>

Freddie stood up and shook his heaed, interrupting Brad with anger in his voice.

_"She's a rebel, she's a saint."_

Gibby stood up and joined Brad, giving Carly sincere smiles.

_"She wears an overcoat for the coming of the nuclear winter."_

_"She's the salt of the earth and she's dangerous!"_

_"She is riding her bike like fugitive of critical mass."_

_"She's a rebel, vigilante!"_

Carly and the other guys looked back and forth between Brad and Gibby and Freddie, unsure of who was more accurate. Brad and Gibby seemed to describe a nicer girl, while Freddie described the inner demon he insisted was there. Carly was more confused now more than ever about who was right.

_"She's on a hunger strike for the ones who won't make it for dinner."_

_"She's the one that they call ol' Whatsername!"_

_"She makes enough to survive for a holiday of working class."_

_"She's a symbol of resistance!"_

_"She's a runaway of the establishment incorporated."_

_"And she's holding on my heart like a hand grenade!"_

_"She won't cooperate, well,  
>She's the last of the American girls!"<em>

"Hey!" Everyone's heads turned to see Sam approaching with Wendy and Valerie. She had a sour look on her face.

"Sam!" the guys cried. Carly looked worried, afraid of what Sam would do, but she just smiled sweetly.

"It's awesome that you guys are singing about me," she gushed. "What are you singing about me for?"

"Carly wants to know what kind of chick you are," Gibby explained. "Brad and I are telling Carly the good qualities of you, while _Freddie_ here is trying to convince her that you're a bad person."

"Fredweird!" Sam snapped. "Why do you always try to make me look bad?"

"I don't have to try," Freddie snickered. Sam glared at him and shared a look with Brad, nodding without saying a word. Brad and Sam cleared her throat.

_"She sings the revolution  
>The dawning of our lives<br>She brings this liberation  
>That I just can't define."<em>

Freddie shook his head and glared at Sam, as if ready to burst.

_"Well nothing comes to mind!  
>Hey!"<em>

Sam grabbed Freddie by the front of his shirt, pulled him forward, and shoving him back. He fell onto another table, but recovered quickly. He sprung back up to his feet and leveled off with Brad and Sam.

_"She's a rebel."_

Sam shrugged at what Brad said, not going to lie about who she really was. Freddie crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Carly cowered in fear.

_"She's a saint."_

_"She's the salt of the earth."_

_"And she's dangerous."_

_"She's a rebel."_

_"Vigilante."_

_"Missing link on the brink-"_

_"-Of destruction."_

Everyone else in the cafeteria stood around the circle, while the circle stood around Carly, Brad, Sam, and Freddie. Carly tucked her feet to her chest, not knowing what to do.

_"She's a rebel, she's a rebel  
>She's the salt of the earth and she's dangerous!"<em>

Everyoe repeated those words as Freddie leaned in close to Carly, ignoring the look Sam was giving him.

_"My name is Freddie  
>And you better not wear it out<br>Suicide comando  
>That your mama talked about<br>King of the forty thieves  
>And I'm here to represent<br>The needle in the vein of the establishment!"_

Everyone punched out one arm, then the other, before shooting their arms up and reaching up for the sky. Carly looked around nervously as the bell rang and the kids cleared out as fast as they could. That is, with the exception of Carly, Brad, Sam, and Freddie.

"So, is that how it is?" Sam asked. "I'm a 'Whatsername'?"

"At least you used to be," Freddie said coolly. Sam's nostrils flared, and for once, Carly knew exactly what to do.

"So, do you want to hang out after school, Sam?" Carly asked. Sam calmed down and smiled.

"We can go to the Groovy Smoothie," Sam replied. "Where do you live?"

"Bushwell Plaza, apartment 8-C," Carly answered slowly.

"Funny," Freddie said. "I'm in apartment 8-D."

"So you're going to be my neighbor," Carly said matter-of-factly. Sam let out a fake yawn.

"I'll be seeing you around," Freddie said, smirking. He walked away, and Sam just glared after him.

"What did he mean by you being a 'Whatsername'?" Carly asked Sam.

"Nothing," Sam answered. "Well, the Groovy Smoothie is right across the street from your apartments, but that's the craziest place in all of Seattle."

"Oh boy, more craziness," Carly muttered.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Brad said, siddling up to her and grinning. "There isn't any pressure about you fitting in. You'll find your own voice in this town eventually."

"Finding my own voice?" Carly asked.

"Everyone has," Sam said. "Even Gibby, and he's _really good_."

"Really?"

"Just hang on, kiddo," Brad assured. "You'll get the hang of this soon."


	3. So Long Dearie & Favorite Son

"Oh, wow!" Brad said as he took a large sip from his foam smoothie cup. "T-Bo, this is your best one yet!"

"Totally!" Freddie agreed. Carly watched them wearily as they continued drinking their smoothies. They then pulled away and screamed as loud as they could. T-Bo, the owner of the Groovy Smoothie, ran up to them with two glasses of water. The boys chugged the water as fast as they could started breathing heavily.

"When you said that a cute girl delivered us the best smoothies, this was _not_ what I expected!" Freddie barked at T-Bo.

"Jalepino Blitz?" Brad hollered. "Really?" Carly's eyes widened and she shoved her smoothie far away from her.

"Well, when Sam Puckett came around..." T-Bo began.

"Sam?" Carly asked.

"Yeah, she said to give Freddie Benson's table Jalepino Smoothies. She even paid for it!" T-Bo held up a stick of glazed donuts. "Want a donut?"

"T-BO!" Brad and Freddie shouted. T-Bo held his hands up defensively and walked away.

"I should have known that it was her," Freddie grumbled to himself. "See what I mean? She's a bad influence, Carly! Just imagine what she's going to do!" An idea popped into Freddie's head and he pulled out his PearPhone. He quickly sent off a text and put it back into his jean pocket. He slid his stool closer to Carly and draped an arm around her shoulder. She blushed heavily.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Carly asked.

"Just flirting with the cute new girl," Freddie whispered into her ear. He leaned in closer to her and kissed her cheek. Brad's jaw dropped onto the table.

"Dude!" Brad snapped. "I called dibs on her!"

"Shh!" Freddie smiled and turned Carly's head towards his.

"What's going...?" Carly found herself leaning into Freddie, the boy she met only seven hours. She kissed his lips softly and closed her eyes, enjoying it. Until Freddie pulled away, screaming in pain. Carly looked to see that Sam had a fistful of the waistband of Freddie's blue plaid boxers in her hand.

"Sam!" Brad shouted. "Be nice!"

"What's this?" Sam asked Freddie, ignoring Brad's comment. She pulled out her phone and read off of it, still holding onto Freddie's boxers and lifting her hand highed. Freddie winced in pain. "'_I'm so sorry about everything. I want to get back together. Meet me at the G.S. so we can do what we did in the-_' I don't need to finish that. But I will finish our friendship right here! And our past is nothing anymore!"

"Good!" Freddie snapped, yanking Sam's hand off of his boxers. "I've wanted to get rid of you for ages, and now I can!"

"Well, Fredward Benson, I know that you missed the relationship that we were having for so long, but it's not my fault that you can't keep such a committment," Sam said quickly. "Ever since you got me into that stupid group, you've just been saying nothing but, 'Us, us, us.' Well, there is no longer an us, and you're to blame, my good friend!"

"What?" Freddie asked. "What part of that makes sense?"

"The part about us not being an item, that's for sure! Get the idea of us being together out of that pretty little head of yours this instant! Just leave me and Carls alone! Now, we have to go to her house so I can meet Spencer!" Sam grabbed Carly's hand and pulled her out of her seat. They burst out the doors with Freddie right on their tail. He continued following them into the Bushwell Plaza, where the lobby was empty, for once.

"Sam, I'm not finished with you!" Freddie snapped.

"Well, neither am I!" Sam snapped. She let go of Carly and turned to face Freddie.

"Well, what do you have to say for the fiasco you pulled in the Groovy Smoothie?"

"Well, Freddie, it looks like there is nothing more for me to say, but..."

"But?"

_"Goodbye!"_

"Goodbye?" Freddie asked.

_"Goodbye, goodbye  
>Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye!"<em>

"That's it?" Freddie snorted.

_"Don't try to stop me Freddie, please...  
>Wave your little hand a whisper<br>So long dearie  
>You ain't gonna see me anymore!"<em>

"Sam, are you insane?" Freddie cried.

_"But when you do discover that your life is dreary  
>Don't you come a knockin' at my door<br>For I'll be all dolled up  
>And singin' that song<br>That says you dog, I told you so  
>So wave your little hand and whisper<br>So long dearie  
>Dearie, should have said so long<br>So long ago!"_

"Sam, stop overreacting, we all know how this will end up-"

_"Because you treated me so rotten and rough  
>I've had enough of feeling low<br>So wave your little hand and whisper  
>So long dearie<br>Dearie would have said so long  
>So long ago!"<em>

"Let's go to my apartment!" Carly interrupted quickly. "There's an elevator that leads right to the inside of the apartment!" She grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her as Sam continued calling out Freddie. Freddie followed, amused by what Sam was saying.

_"For I can hear that choo choo callin' me on  
>To a fancy new address<br>Yes, I can hear that choo choo callin' me on  
>On board that happiness express<br>I'm gonna learn to dance and drink and smoke a cigarette  
>I'm go'n as far away from Seattle as a girl can get!"<em>

"You've threatened that so many times before," Freddie claimed. "You probably haven't left Seattle your entire life! And tomorrow, when you come crawling back to me, I won't forgive you for one second!"

Sam giggled as Carly pressed the elevator up button. She began to walk past Freddie and paused beside him, a hand resting on his shoulder.

"And on those cold winter nights, Freddie..." she began.

"Oh, please," Freddie muttered. Sam turned around him and kept her hand on his shoulder. She flashed him a devilish grin.

"You can snuggle up to your action figures," she said.

"I don't have them anymore!" Freddie insisted. Sam walked in front of him and rubbed the back of her body against the front of him, still grinning.

"It's a bit lumpy but it rings!" she teased in a seductive tone. The elevator beeped as the doors slid open. Carly stepped onto the elevator and Sam followed her. She stopped in between the doors and stood there.

"Don't do this, Sam," Freddie warned.

_"Don't come a knockin'  
>I'll be all dolled up<br>And singin' that song  
>That says you dog, I told you so<br>So Freddie, when you find your life a sad story  
>When you see your Samantha shuffle off to glory<br>Oh, I should've said so long..."_

Sam grabbed Freddie by the shoulders and forcefully planted a kiss on his lips. She pushed him away and stepped backwards into the elevator next to a gaping Carly. Freddie stared at her in shock, unsure of how to react.

_"So long ago!"_

She held that last note as the doors slid shut and while the elevator went up. Carly waited for her to stop before clapping.

"It's wonderful how much singing goes on," she said. "But was it that necessary to kiss Freddie?"

"Of course it is," Sam said. "It's a reminder of what he's missing out on."

"Okay..." Carly decided not to ask any further questions, knowing that it would just be playing with fire. But she wanted to know the crazy friendship that all of her new friends seemed to have with one-another.

* * *

><p>"Dad!" Spencer shouted into his phone. "I'm not going back to law school! It was the worst seventy-two hours of my life!"<p>

"Whether you like it or not, Spencer, those seventy-two hours could have made you more successful than what you think," Colonel Steven Shay replied. "Imagine how drastic your life would have changed had you stuck to becoming a lawyer rather than drop out and become a petty sculptor..."

"I would hate it!" Spencer whined. "Why can't you accept me for who I am?"

"I would if you would make me feel proud to be your father!"

"So, I'm not your favorite son?" Spencer asked.

"Spencer, you're my only son-"

"I see how it is then! So it's Carly, huh?"

"Carly is my daughter, not my son. You aren't making any sense, Spencer-"

"Oh, so now I'm full of nonsense, too?" Spencer groaned. "Bye!" He hung up his phone and screamed at the ceiling. He ran over to the futon in the middle of the living room and kicked it. He shouted again as pain shot up through his foot.

_"He hit the ground running  
>At the speed of light<br>The star was brightly shining  
>Like a neon light!<em>

_It's your favorite son  
>It's your favorite son!"<em>

Spencer ran over into the kitchen and jumped onto the table, head-banging and stomping his foot rhythmically.

_"A fixture on the talk shows  
>To the silver screen<br>From here to Colorado  
>He's a sex machine!<em>

_It's your favorite son  
>It's your favorite son!"<em>

Spencer stood on the chair with one foot on the back of it, causing the chair to fall. Spencer ran over to the coffee table and leaped onto it.

_"But isn't it a drag?  
>Isn't it a drag?<br>Isn't it a drag?  
>It's pretty bloody sad,<br>But isn't it a drag?_

_A clean-but all-American  
>Really ain't so clean<br>His royal auditorium  
>Is a murder scene!<em>

_It's your favorite son  
>It's your favorite son!"<em>

Spencer jumped from the coffee table to the futon, all of the rage inside of him pouring out.

_"But isn't it a drag?  
>Isn't it a drag?<br>Isn't it a drag?  
>It's pretty bloody sad,<br>But isn't it a drag?"_

Just then, the elevator door opened, and Carly emerged with a blonde girl that Spencer didn't recognize. But they were enough to startle him and cause him to fall backwards. The girls watched as Spencer stood up, a wild look in his eyes.

_"Well no one says it's fair  
>Turn a teenage lush<br>To a millionaire."_

"Oh, come on!" Carly cried. Spencer ran up the stairs and stood on the first landing, pointing a finger at Carly and Sam.

_"Now where's your fuckin' champion?  
>On a panty raid!<br>He's not the all-American  
>That you thought you paid!<em>

_It's your favorite son!  
>It's your favorite son!<br>It's your favorite son!"_

"Wow," Sam said, letting out a low whistle. "Someone found their voice real quick."

"That's not fair!" Carly whined. "I want to find my voice! Is it in the fridge?"

"No, Carls, it's provoked by something that just makes the words come to you," Sam explained.

"And it felt great!" Spencer cheered. "One minute, I was talking to Dad, and the next, a rant song came from inside of me!"

"Wait, Dad called?" Carly asked. "He never calls us! He called us?"

"Yeah, but it was just to tell me how disappointed he was that I picked art over law school. Granddad ratted me out."

"Forget your pathetic life; Dad called us!" Carly hugged Sam and jumped up and down. She then stopped and took a deep breath. "_Somewhere, over the rain-_"

"That's not how it works, kid," Sam said, shaking her head. "You can't set yourself up for something like that."

"Dang it!"


	4. It Can't Be True

"Oh, my gosh!" Carly cried. "You set me up on a date with _Brad?_"

"Of course I did!" Sam said in the nicest tone she could possibly fake. "I've been his best friend for so long, that he would be absolutely perfect!"

"But why?" Carly whined. "What about Freddie? He's such a great kisser!"

"Enough about Freddie!" Sam blurted. She tried not to let her face turn bright pink. "How about you meet Brad at the Groovy Smoothie right after school?"

"Sam, I've been your friend since yesterday, and I'm still trying to figure out how this school works, but I'm curious about you and Freddie," Carly admitted. She looked around and lowered her voice significantly. "Are you and Freddie, like, in between relationships?"

"Us?" Sam asked in a high-pitched voice. "Of course not!"

"Wendy told me that he was the only guy you kissed-"

"What?" Sam glared around. "That blabbermouth whore!" The final bell rang, and the hall filled with students. Sam looked around and immediately hatched up a plan. "Carly, can you go and get my homework from Miss Ackerman? And be careful, she's emotional right now."

"Sure," Carly replied cheerfully. She skipped away, becoming lost in the sea of students. Sam grinned and ran into the nearby girls' bathroom. She pulled out her PearPhone and dialed Wendy's number. After one ring, Wendy answered.

"Oh, hey, Sam. What's up?"

"Check this out!" Sam nearly shouted. "I just got the _juciest_ text from Valerie who told me the nastiest thing about Carly-"

"Carly? No! What?" Wendy practically begged.

"Alright, I'll tell you, but remember..." Sam looked around before continuing.

_"Everything Valerie says is a lie  
>It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie<br>Everything Valerie says is a lie  
>You better not believe her!"<em>

"What'd she say?" Wendy cried.

_"'Cause she said she saw  
>Carly and Freddie at the mall<br>Standing face to face  
>Laughing and talking and holding hands<br>Slipping on the way to FIRST BASE!"_

Wendy gasped dramatically.

_"But everything Valerie says is a lie  
>You better not believe her!"<em>

"Carly and Freddie?" Wendy asked.

"Yep," Sam replied, smiling.

"But what about Brad?"

"Oh, I know! She is so full of it! But really, really, really don't say anything!" Sam knew that was nearly impossible.

"Of course not! I won't say a word!" The girls hung up their phones. Sam dialed Valerie's number while Wendy called Patrice.

"Yello?" Patrice answered.

"Patrice!" Wendy cried.

"Valerie!" Sam greeted as Valerie answered her phone.

"Yo!" Patrice and Valerie cried.

_"Everything Valerie says is a lie..."_

As long as Wendy thought so, Sam's plan was working accordingly.

_"Everything Wendy says..."_

The two looked around suspiciously again.

_"It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie."_

_"Everything Valerie says is a lie..."_

_"Everything Wendy says is a lie."_

The girls emerged from their hiding spots to find the halls clear.

_"You better not believe her!"_

"What?" Patrice gasped.

_"'Cause I just heard that-"_

"Really?" Valerie asked.

_"She said she saw-"_

_"Carly and Freddie on their bikes,  
>Having a little race!"<em>

Sam knew this needed to be amped up a bit more.

_"Wendy saw Carly at the park  
>Letting Freddie get to SECOND BASE!"<em>

Wendy shrugged, even though no one could see her.

_"But everything Valerie says is a lie."_

Sam and Wendy stepped into the main hall at the same time, gasping.

_"You better not believe her!"_

Valerie and Patrice ran down the stairs to join Sam and Wendy, their faces still in shock with what they were being told. They stood in a circle and started twisting and rotating in their circle.

_"Holy macaroni,  
>No, it can't be true<br>No, you can't repeat a single word I'm telling you  
>And, oh! Can you imagine what Brad would do<br>If he heard that kind of a rumor?"_

"I got it, Sam!" Carly's voice rang through the hallways. Patrice, Valerie, and Wendy took off quickly as Carly ran up to Sam with three worksheets. "She says that it's due next Tuesday!"

"Why are you still here?" Sam cried. "Go to the Groovy Smoothie! I told Freddie that you were on your way, and he left a few minutes ago!"

"Oh no!" Carly thrust the papers at Sam and ran out the front doors. Sam shook her head and ripped up the papers.

"What are you doing?" Freddie asked as he approached Sam.

"Tearing up my homework," Sam answered. She took a deep breath. "Look, I feel bad for yesterday. So does Carly, for, you know, being forced to ditch you. She wanted to get to know you better, so she's on her way to the Groovy Smoothie. You better run if you want to catch her."

"Really?" Freddie asked. "Aw, Sam, you're the best!" He gave Sam a quick hug before taking off out the front doors. Sam's posse ran up to her, shrieking at how 'true' their rumors were. Just then, Gibby, Pete, Jonah, and Shane came up to the group.

"What's up, ladies?" Gibby asked. Each girl exchanged a look before grabbing a boy and taking them aside.

Valerie glanced around before turning to Jonah.

_"Everything Patrice says is a lie..."_

Patrice twirled her hair with her fingers while trying to remember what she was told to Pete.

_"Everything Wendy says is a lie..."_

Sam rolled her eyes at the others before staring into Shane's eyes, as 'proof' that she wasn't lying.

_"Everything Valerie says..."_

All of the girls gave each other looks.

_"It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie!"_

Wendy shrugged at Gibby.

_"Making up stories, I don't know why."_

_"You better not believe her!"_

Sam punched Shane's shoulder.

_"So don't think nothing!"_

Valerie pointed at Wendy.

_"She just told me..."_

Wendy did a little twist where she was standing.

_"She said she saw..."_

The girls remembered only one story;

_"Carly and Freddie at the game  
>And they vanished without a trace<br>When she saw Carly under the bleachers  
>Letting Freddie get to THIRD BASE!"<em>

Everyone stared at the other in shock before turned in circles, dancing with the person in front of them.

_"Holy macaroni! No, it can't be true  
>There's an awful lot of trouble they can get into<br>And oh! Can you imagine what Brad would do  
>If he heard that kind of a rumor?"<em>

Just then, Brad came into the scene. Gibby and Shane exchanged a look before taking Brad aside. Gibby took a deep breath.

_"Everything Carly says is a lie..."_

The boys shared another look.

_"It's a lie, it's a lie, it's a lie."_

Shane pulled out his phone and showed Brad a text.

_"Doing the tongue with some other guy."_

_"You better believe it."_

Everyone created a circle around Brad, forcing Sam into the middle with him. Everyone pointed at someone else and began the Blame Game.

_"'Cause he said  
>She saw<br>She said  
>She saw<br>He said  
>He saw<br>Carly and Freddie at the mall  
>At the movies<br>At the zoo!"_

Brad became visibly angrier. His new girlfriend dissed him for his best friend? Sam knew the only thing to make it much, much worse;

_"And I just saw them right now!"_

Everyone paused and gasped.

"What?" Brad shouted. "Where?"

"Oh, at the Groovy Smoothie on a date!" Sam said quickly.

"Come on!" Brad grabbed Sam's arm and dragged her out the door. Their friends followed, wanting to see a good fight go down. Sam grinned; Freddie would know never to mess with her emotions ever again now.


	5. Carly & What Did I Ever See In Her?

_**(A/N: I changed the actual name of the songs to better match how they are in the story. In reality, it's "**_**Sandy" _[from Grease] and "What Did I Ever See In Him?" [from Bye Bye Birdie]. Enjoy!)_**

Carly sat on the stool at one of the tables in the Groovy Smoothie, swinging her legs freely and taking deep breaths. She was uncertain of what might happen if Freddie came along and swept her off of her feet once again with a breath-taking kiss like the day before. Where had that come from, anyways? Anger towards Sam, which he expressed daily? Anger towards Brad, for making a move first? Anger at himself, for God knows what? Carly looked around and gasped as Freddie walked through the front door. He strode across the place right over to where Carly was, choosing the seat right next to her, scooting close. Carly smiled and let all of the thoughts in her head calm themselves down.

"Hey, hey, Miss Shay," Freddie greeted her. "I see that you got Sam's invite."

"I was a little shocked," Carly admitted. "I mean, Sam told me that you were already here for a while, so I ran, but when you weren't here, I thought-"

"What are you talking about?" Freddie asked. "Sam said that you wanted to ask me out, so I rushed here."

"I'm going on a date with Brad that Sam set up, but I came here to hang out with you before he showed up," Carly said. Both of their eyes widened in fear once they realized the horrible prank that was being played on them.

"Carly!" Carly and Freddie turned to see their main group of friends standing at the door, with Brad and Sam in the front, with all of them shocked.

"Well, hello, _Fredward_," Sam greeted, smiling and waving. Freddie groaned and hit his head on the table. Of course, Sam would have tricked the both of them with such ease.

"Uh, uh uh!" Carly tried to say. "This isn't what it looks like!"

"You're on a date, with _my_ date!" Brad shouted at Freddie. "Dude, that's against the bro code!"

"Dude, I already made my move!" Freddie cried. "And, obviously, she wants me! And you!" Freddie pointed a finger at Sam.

"Me?" she asked innocently.

"Watch this." Freddie turned to Carly and kissed her fiercely on the lips. Carly's eyes were wide open in shock, even after Freddie pulled away. Everyone's jaws had dropped in shock. Sam growled angrily.

"That's it, Benson!" She ran over and grabbed Freddie by the collar. She dragged him out of the restaurant with her friends following them.

"Fight! Fight!" they chanted. Carly stared at Brad awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, but this isn't going to work out," she said quickly. Carly pushed out the door and ran towards the fight. "Don't hurt Freddie!"

Brad sighed and walked over to the table, shaking his head. He couldn't believe that he was rejected just like that, for _Freddie_. He was never rejected, or favored less than Freddie. He guessed that this was a first.

_"Stranded at the G. Smoothie  
>Branded a fool<br>What will they say  
>Monday at school?"<em>

"Man, they gonna be crackin' up at you!" T-Bo cackled. He held up his PearPhone. "I already recorded what happened and posted it to SplashFace!" Brad hung his head in defeat, knowing that he was definitely screwed over now.

_"Carly, can't you see  
>I'm in misery<br>We made a start, now we're apart,  
>There's nothing left for me<em>

_Love has flown all alone  
>I sit and wonder why-y-y oh why<br>You left me, oh Carly."_

Brad walked over to the counter and climbed on top of it, pacing very slowly.

"Dude, do you mind?" T-Bo complained.

_"Oh Carly, maybe someday, when high school is done  
>Somehow, someway, our two worlds will be one<br>In heaven forever and ever we will be  
>Oh please say you'll stay, oh<br>Carly Carly, my darlin' you hurt me real bad,  
>You know it's true<br>But baby, you gotta believe me when I say,  
>I'm helpless without you."<em>

"You met the girl yesterday!" T-Bo shouted. "Now hop off my counter!"

_"Love had flown all alone  
>I sit, I wonder why-y-y oh why<br>You left me, oh Carly_

_Carly_

_Carly_

_Why-y-y-y,  
>Oh, Carly."<em>

"Brad," Sam said as she came back into the Groovy Smoothie. She gave him a sympathetic look as he jumped off the counter and walked out the door. She wiped her hands off on her jeans, leaving behind red marks- probably Freddie's blood.

"Sam," he sighed. "This sucks, so much."

"I'm sorry this happened," Sam told him, smiling as she put a hand on his cheek. He placed his hand over hers and smiled.

"Let's go to your trailer," he said softly. Sam nodded and took his hand as she led him out of the Groovy Smoothie, ignoring the looks they received from their friends.

* * *

><p>"Let me help you with that," Carly said, frowning as she dabbed a paper towel on Freddie's cut on his cheek. He winced in pain and pushed her hand away.<p>

"I'm fine, Carly, really," he assured her. Carly crumbled up the paper towel and tossed onto her coffee table.

"I'm sorry about that," she said. "I'm sure it was just a harmless-"

"She beat me up!" Freddie whined as he cut her off.

"Okay, she's very harmful," Carly admitted. "But, I mean, she loves you, right?"

"I used to believe that," Freddie grunted. "Now, she treats me like a human punching bag!"

"Well, it hasn't always been like that, has it?" Carly asked. Freddie gave her a bewildered look before springing up to his feet.

_"Eight years,  
>Eight years,<br>That's how long I've wasted on her!"_

"Eight years?" Carly exclaimed.

_"That's all, I'm through."_

"How does this keep on happening?" Carly asked. She leaned back onto her couch as Freddie stared straight ahead as if it were normal. Then again, here, it probably was.

_"Samantha dear, to put it sweetly...  
>To hell with you!"<em>

"I'm done with her Carly!" Freddie exclaimed. "I can't go back to that she-devil!"

"You don't mean it, do you?" Carly asked. Freddie just ignored her and walked around the couch, his hands firmly on Carly's shoulders.

_"What did I ever see in her?  
>How did I ever get evolved that way?<br>Now that it's over I can smile and say  
>What did I ever see in her?"<em>

"You must've seen so much!" Carly insisted. She tried to look back at Freddie, but he forced her to continue to look forward. She groaned and let him continue.

_"Boy, I was way out on a limb  
>Now that my feet are on the ground again<br>Now that my senses have been found again  
>What did I ever see in her?"<em>

"There must be some good qualities about Sam!" Carly said. Freddie walked around and shook his head.

_"Is she tender?  
>No, she's not!<br>Is she thoughtful?  
>No, she's not?<br>Am I crazy?  
>What's she got that I found so damn appealing?"<em>

"Hey body, her hair, her smile...?" Carly suggested, shrugging. Freddie shook his head again in denial.

_"What did she ever do for me?  
>Well, to be honest, it was sometimes nice-"<em>

"There you go!" Carly said.

_"But still it wasn't worth the awful price!  
>It was rough from the start!<br>Broken dates, broken bones, broken hearts!  
>How did I ever?<br>Why did I ever?  
>What did I ever?"<em>

"Well, it does sound a bit awful," Carly sighed. "I feel as if it was all my fault, too!"

"It's not," Freddie insisted. Suddenly, the front door burst open, and Spencer stormed in.

"Spencer, this is Freddie," Carly introduced to her clearly agitated brother, who ignored her comment.

"I got rejected by the girl working at the check-out lane at the grocery store!" Spencer cried. "Women are so awful!"

"See?" Freddie insisted. The two men shared a look and nodded.

"Oh, no," Carly moaned. "Are you guys going to-?"

_"Do we need them? No, we don't!  
>Do we want them? No, we don't!<br>Will we leave them? No, we won't!"_

"Why do I even bother?" Caarly asked herself. Spencer gave Freddie a confused look.

"Do we want them?" he asked. Freddie shook his had vigorously.

_"Now, tell me what did I say that for?"_

The two shrugged before turning back to a very confused Carly.

_"What did we ever see in them?  
>How could we ever think that they were nice?<br>Take it from us we paid an awful price!  
>It was rough from the start!<br>Broken dates, broken bones, broken hearts  
>What did I ever see in-"<em>

"Samantha Puckett!" Freddie shouted. "That little witch! That blonde-headed demon! She's so aggrivating!"

"Maybe you should go," Carly suggested. She started up her staircase to her bedroom slowly.

"Where are you going?" Freddie asked as he walked out the door.

"I'm going to watch musicals so that I can find my voice!" Carly shouted.

"It doesn't work that way," Freddie said loudly in a sing-song tone as he shut the door behind him. Even in the hallway, he could hear Carly shouting;

"_DANG IT!_"


	6. Nicest Kids In Town

"Thanks for the ride, Spencer!" Carly called to her brother as he waved and sped off on his motorcycle. Carly smoothed her red turtleneck and pulled up her black skinny jeans. Her black combat boots thumped lightly against the concrete pavement that led up to the front doors of Ridgeway. After the huge outburst between everyone, she was worried about what might happen today. She walked through the front doors to find Mr. Franklin standing in the middle of the hallway with his back turned to her. He turned around and smiled.

_"Ev'ry morning  
>When the clock strikes eight."<em>

Other students that Carly knew came out of nowhere and began dancing with someone of the opposite sex in the background.

_"Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba!"_

"Oh, COME ON!" Carly groaned loudly. Like usual, she was ignored.

_"A bunch of crazy kids  
>Crash through that door!"<em>

_"Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba!"_

_"They throw off their coats  
>And leave the squares behind<br>And then they shake it, shake it, shake it  
>Like they're losing their minds<br>You'll never see them frown  
>'Cause they're the nicest kids in town!"<em>

The kids in the background faced front, doing a move that Carly recognized as the Mashed Potato. Carly frowned; she wished she could find her voice soon so that she could sing and dance and be like everyone else. How come Spencer did in one day, while it was already day three for Carly?

_"Every morning  
>You put your new clothes on!"<em>

_"Na, na, na, na, na, na-na-na-na!"_

_"And we know you change your style  
>When your parents are gone, yeah."<em>

_"Na, na, na, na, na, na-na-na-na!"_

The kids began doing the Twist. Carly knew that not even she had enough coordination to do such a thing. How much longer would she live this differently from the others?

_"And then you twist and shout  
>With your bestest friend<br>And once you've practiced every step  
>That's in your repertoire<br>You better come on down  
>And meet the nicest kids in town!"<em>

Now the kids were doing the Mambo side-to-side, while Carly watched in confusion. Each person, even Sam, had fake smiles plastered on their faces. No one was out of step by a second, nor were they messing up. Carly was definitely impressed.

_"Nice, bright kids  
>Who like to lead the way<br>And once a month  
>We have our 'Talent Day!'<br>And I'm the man who keeps it spinning round  
>Mr. Ted Franklin<br>With the latest, greatest Seattle sound!"_

Now every was 'shaking a tail feather'. Carly couldn't understand where all of these 1960 dance moves were coming from, but at least it wasn't a bump or grind.

_"So every afternoon  
>Drop everything."<em>

_"Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba!"_

_"You need to read and write  
>And then to dance and sing!"<em>

_"Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba!"_

_"Don't forget your algebra  
>And calculus<br>You can also do your homework  
>On the morning bus<br>They tell a verb from a noun  
>They're the nicest kids in town!"<em>

Everyone immediately stopped dancing and ran into a line behind Mr. Franklin.

_"R-r-r-roll call!"_

He stood to the side as Sam, one hand on her hip and doing a Miss America wave with her other.

_"I'm Sammy!"_

Brad pushed Sam aside rudely, grinning at Carly.

_"Brad!"_

Brad ran to the side and Wendy came into view. And that's how it went: a short, sweet pose, and running to the side for the next person to go.

_"Wendy!"_

_"Gibby!"_

_"Valerie!"_

_"Jonah!"_

_"Patrice!"_

_"Pete!"_

_"Missy!"_

Freddie slowly walked forward ad swung his arms while bending his knees rhythymically.

_"And I'm... FREDDIE!"_

Everyone stepped to the side and bounced from one leg to the other, bopping their heads to the side to the beat of their feet and the music. Mr. Franklin came back to the front, still singing.

_"So, if every night you're shaking  
>As you lie in bed."<em>

_"Mony-mony, ooh, mony-mony!"_

_"And the bass and drums  
>Are pounding in your head."<em>

_"Mony-mony, ooh, mony-mony!"_

_"Make sure you get your sleep  
>So you don't snooze in school<em>

_"They won't all get to college  
>But they sure look good<br>Even in a cap and gown  
>They're the nicest kids in town<em>

_"They're the nicest. Nicest...  
>They're the nicest. Nicest...<br>They're the sugar 'n' spicest  
>The nicest kids in...<br>Kids it town!"_

Everyone threw their hands up in the sky and had broad grins on their faces. The first bell rang and Mr. Franklin walked away to his office. The kids grouped off into the girls and guys, with the exception of Brad, Freddie, and Sam, all of whom stood between the two groups. Carly gulped in fear.

"So, we good, Puckett?" Freddie asked, sticking out his hand. Sam stared at him for a minute with a serious expression, but then smiled and shook his hand back. The three then laughed as if nothing bad had happened between them recently.

"Uh, is this also... normal?" Carly asked as she walked up to who she assumed were her friends. The trio nodded in response.

"Just give it a day or two," Brad said. "We fight nonstop. There's always something that comes up."

"Oh, brother," Carly moaned. "Can we just go to class?"

"Sure," Sam said, smiling and linking her arms with Carly. She led the way to Mr. Howard's class.

"Man, those two are going to be so much trouble," Freddie told Brad.

"I can tell already," Brad agreed, nodding as the two watched the beauties walk down the hall to History. "C'mon, Buttburns will have our head if we don't hurry."

"Roger that," Freddie replied. The boys raced up the stairs and quickly headed to their first period class as fast as they could.


	7. The Cell Block Tango

"Carly Shay!"

"Wha-?" Carly drowsily woke up from her sleep to realize that she was still in Miss Briggs' class, and there was less than five minutes left. All of the other kids in class were laughing at her, and Carly felt herself turn red.

"Asleep in my class?" Miss Briggs asked. She reached into her desk and pulled out a stack of papers. She slammed them onto her desk as she scribbled something on the top sheet. "Then you can sleep all you want in detention!"

"Detention?" Carly gulped. Never in her life had she ever recieved detention, and now would be a terrible start for that.

"Don't worry," Sam hissed across the aisle to Carly. "There's about six of us already serving it."

"You too?" she asked.

"Yeah, and so is Wendy, Valerie, Patrice, Tasha, and Shannon."

"Who's Shannon and Tasha?"

"Tasha dates Gibby, and Shannon is the foreign exchange student from Hungary." Miss Briggs slammed down the filled out detention paper on Carly's desk, startling the both of them.

"Do you both want to go for another day?" Miss Briggs threatened. Before anyone answered, the bell rang. Everyone grabbed their things and scrambled out of the room. Carly kept her eyes on her detention slip the entire time she walked down the halls.

"How can this be?" Carly wondered aloud. "I never did anything wrong!"

"Then you obviously never dealt with Briggs before," Sam teased. She skipped down the halls, and Carly watched her in confusion.

* * *

><p>Carly walked through the cafeteria doors, expecting to find it in the same condition as it was every other day for the past week she had been at Ridgeway. Instead, all of the tables and chairs were missing, with the exception of six chairs with shadowed figures sitting on them, and the seventh where Mr. Howard was sitting, leafing through a thick newspaper. The room was very dark. Suddenly, a light came on over the first chair, revealing an angered Patrice.<p>

"Pop."

The next light came on over the next chair, where Valerie was reclining, a bored expression crossing her face.

"Six."

Next one was Wendy, who seemed extremely pissed off.

"Squish."

Next was the foreign exchange student, Shannon. Her brown curls bounced off of her shoulder, and her worried eyes made her seem like a doll.

"Uh-uh!"

Next was Sam, who was casually swinging around her butted sock, glaring at Carly.

"Cicero."

In the last chair was the tall and beautiful Tasha, whose make-up was ruined, looking like she was just crying.

"Gibson."

The girl continued repeating those words absent-mindedly, slightly shifting their position every time.

"Pop."

"Six."

"Squish."

"Uh-uh."

"Cicero."

"Gibson."

Mr. Howard looked up from his newspaper and looked at Carly.

"And now, the six merry murderesses of Ridgeway High School in their rendition of 'The Cell Block Tango'," he said. Another light came on at a lone chair and small table. Carly slowly walked over there as the six girls continued repeating their words in order. Once Carly sat down, they finally said something else;

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself to blame  
>If you'd have been there<br>If you'd have seen it!"_

Sam pointed a finger at Carly, rage in her voice.

_"I bet you would have done the same!"_

"Pop."

"Six."

"Squish."

"Uh-uh."

"Cicero."

"Gibson."

Patrice stood up and walked in front of the group of girls. She flashed Carly a devilish grin that was quickly turned back into a scowl as Pete came into view.

"You know how people have these little habits that get you down," Patrice said. "Like Pete. Pete likes to chew gum. No, not chew... _pop!_ So I came over this one day and I'm really irritated, and looking for a little sympathy and there's Pete laying on the couch, drinking a soda and chewing. No, not chewing. _Popping._ So, I said to him, I said, 'You pop that gum one more time...' and he did. So I took the shotgun off the wall and fired two warning shots... into his head!" She scowled at Pete and snatched a red sash from behind his head as he dramatically fainted. Patrice stormed back over to her chair and plopped back onto it, her arms crossed. Pete dragged himself across the floor as the girls sang again;

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself to blame  
>If you'd have been there<br>If you'd have seen it  
>I betcha you would've<br>Done the same!"_

Valerie stood up and walked forward as Jonah came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. She shoved him off forcefully.

"I met Jonah Young from Seattle about two years ago, and he told me he was single, and he hit it off right away," Valerie said. "So, we started living together. He'd go to work, he'd come home, I'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinner. And then I found out, 'Single' he told me? Single my ass! Not only was he taken... oh, no, he had _six _girlfriends. One of those players, you know? So that night, when he came home, I fixed him his drink as usual." She smiled. "You know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic." Valerie kissed Jonah, and when she pulled away, she pulled out a red sash like Patrice's with her teeth from his mouth.. Carly thought it was gross, but watched as Valerie pushed Jonah away and sat back down in her chair.

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He took a flower  
>In its prime<br>And then he used it  
>And he abused it<br>It was a murder  
>But not a crime!"<em>

Now Wendy stood up, walking in a circle. She glared at Shane as he walked across from her, shirtless, the same expression as her.

"Now, I'm standing in the kitchen, carving up the chicken for dinner, minding my own business, and in storms my boyfriend Shane, in a jealous rage," Wendy said. "'You been screwing the garbage man,' he says. He was crazy, and kept screaming, 'You been screwing the milkman!'" Wendy and Shane paused as Wendy placed her hand at the top of Shane's jeans. "And then he ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times." She snatched her hand away from Shane's jeans with her own red sash, kicking Shane away as she sat back down.

_"If you'd have been there  
>If you'd have seen it<br>I betcha you would have done the same!"_

Shannon stood up nervously. "_Mit kersek, en itt? Azt mondjok, hogy a hires lakem lefogta a ferjemet en meg lecsaptam a fejet. De nem igaz, en artatlan vagyok. Nem tudom mert mondja Uncle Sam hogy en tettem. probaltama rendorsegen megmayarazni de nem ertettek meg..._"

"Yeah, but did you do it?" Wendy asked, her phone in her hands, ready to fire off a text.

"Uh-uh!" Shannon cried. "Not guilty!" She sat down and dissolved into tears, covering her face with her hands. Sam casually stood up and walked in front of the group. Freddie came out beside her, smiling innocently. Carly didn't know who to watch.

"My sister, Melanie, and I did this double act, and my boyfriend, Freddie, used to travel around with us. Now, for the last number in our act, we did these twenty acrobatic tricks in a row. One, two, three, four, five, splits, spread eagles, backflips, flip flops, one right after the other. So this one night before the show we were at the hotel Cicero, the three of us, boozing, having a few laughs, and we ran out of ice, so I go out to get some. I come back, open the door, and there's Melanie and Freddie doing number seventeen... THE SPREAD EAGLE!" All of the other girls gasped. "Well, I was in such a state of shock, I completely blacked out. I can't remember a thing. It wasn't until later, when I was washing the blood off my hands I even knew they were dead!" She revealed two red sashed in her hand and turned to Freddie. Rather than sit down, like all of the others, Sam and Freddie began doing the tango, angry looks upon both of their faces. Sam sang as loud as she could, while the others sang something else along with her.

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming all along!"_

_"They had it coming all along!"_

_"I didn't do it!"_

_"She didn't do it!"_

_"But if I done it!"_

_"But if she done it!"_

_"How could you tell me that I was wrong!"_

Sam turned Freddie around and shoved him away. She stormed up to Carly and leaned close to her face.

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming  
>All along!"<em>

_"They took a flower  
>In its prime!"<em>

_"I didn't do it!"_

_"And then they used it!"_

_"But if I done it!"_

_"And they abused it!"_

_"How could you tell me  
>That I was wrong!"<em>

_"It was a murder  
>But not a crime!"<em>

Sam turned and stomped back to her seat. Tasha stood up and took Sam's place, smiling.

"I loved Gibby Gibson more than I can possibly say," she said. "He was a real artistic guy... Sensitive... a painter. But he was troubled. He was always trying to find himself. He'd go out every night looking for himself, and along the way, he found Shannon, Patrice, Wendy, and Nora. I guess you can say we broke up because of our artistic differences. He saw himself as alive, and I saw him _dead!_" Carly gasped as Tasha attempted to push Gibby. He didn't budge, so Tasha growled and stomped her foot angrily. She stormed over to the other girls, who stood up and glared at Carly.

_"The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum  
>The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum<em>

_They had it coming  
>They had it coming<br>They had it coming  
>All along<br>'Cause if they used it  
>And they abused it<br>How could you tell us that we were wrong?"_

All of the guys came out and started dancing the tango with their girls, minus Shannon, who did ballet on the side by herself.

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself to blame  
>If you'd have been there<br>If you'd have seen it  
>I betcha you would have done the same!"<em>

"You pop that gum _one more time!_" Patrice threatened Pete.

"Single my ass!" Valerie looked away and put her hand in Jonah's face.

"Ten times!" Wendy cried in Shane's face.

"_Miert csokott Uncle Sam bortonbe_," Shannon pleaded.

"Number seventeen- the spread eagle," Sam whispered into Freddie's ear, winking at him, then Carly.

"Artistic differences," Tasha told Gibby.

"Pop."

"Six."

"Squish."

"Uh-uh."

"Cicero."

"Gibson."

The bell rang, and Mr. Howard stood up and left the room. The others grabbed their bookbags and grouped together, Carly still on the side. She stood up and slowly walked over to the group. She was suddenly shoved out by Sam.

"Stand back!" she warned. "This is about to get a little messy-"

"YOU'RE DATING SAM?" Freddie shouted.

"And that's why," Sam finished, smiling and shrugging.


	8. Last Night On Earth

"Fredward Benson, you were suspended from school?" Marissa Benson shouted at her son. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"My best friend is dating my ex-girlfriend," Freddie replied, staring at the floor.

"That delinquent Samantha Puckett?" Marissa asked. "Who cares? You should date that nice girl across the hall- Carly Shay, right?"

"Yeah, I am dating her," Freddie said. "But my best friend is breaking the Bro Code!"

"I don't care, she was a bad influence on sweet boys like you." Marissa smiled and reached for something in a dollar store plastic bag. "I got you something..."

"Please don't be something embarassing," Freddie pleaded.

"It's a book on abstinence!" Marissa declared.

"Spoke too soon," Freddie groaned.

"Excuse me?" Marissa hit her son on the head with the paperback book.

"OW!"

"Are you telling my that you have had..." She shuddered, making a face. "_INTERCOURSE!_"

"Mom, I'm seventeen!" Freddie threw his head back against the top of his couch. "When are you going to stop babying me?"

"When I stop seeing you as my baby Fredward!" Marissa groaned and stormed out of the living room.

"And stop calling me Fredward," Freddie called after her.

"What was that?" Marissa snapped in a threatening tone that scared Freddie.

"Nothing!"

* * *

><p>"So, are you really dating Brad?" Carly asked Sam as they walked up the stairs to the ninth floor.<p>

"Of course I am," Sam answered, climbing the steps two at a time. "Why wouldn't I? Besides, he gave up on you after you decided to ditch him at the Groovy Smoothie last week."

"You set me up!" Carly cried.

"You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to," was Sam's response as they reached the top of the staircase. Sam unlatched one of the windows and crawled out onto the fire escape.

"Isn't this dangerous?" Carly asked as she joined Sam.

"Only if there really is a fire." Sam looked down to see Freddie underneath of them. "Shh! Let's see what happens!"

"What's going on?" Carly hissed.

"We're going to sit here and watch Freddie for a while..."

"You mean stalk?"

"Whatever floats your boat." Sam pulled out a Fat Cake from her pocket and unwrapped it.

"Can I have one?" Carly asked, reaching out for it. Sam slapped away her hand.

"Don't you _ever_ try to take my Fat Cakes, got it?" Sam warned. Carly nodded, her eyes wide with fear. Sam flashed Carly a quick smile before devouring her Fat Cake. Once she finished, she casually tossed the empty wrapper over the edge and let it float down to the city below.

* * *

><p>Freddie looked up from his PearPhone to see a Fat Cake wrapped fall past him slowly. He smirked; he knew Sam was watching him. He sighed and looked out into the Seattle night sky. The moon shone brightly in his face. Freddie stood up and placed his hands on the rail, shaking his head.<p>

_"I text a postcard sent to you  
>Did it go through?<br>Sending all my love to you."_

"This is it!" Sam hissed. She pulled out her PearPhone and typed away furiously on it.

"What?" Carly asked.

"Just wait for Freddie to reach here, then sing the highlighted lines," Sam instructed. "I'm going to help you find your voice, so a little practice should help you out."

"Okay..." Carly answered. She looked back down to Freddie, who was still singing.

_"You are the moonlight of my life every night  
>Giving all my love to you."<em>

Freddie sighed and began to go back into his apartment. Sam elbowed Carly, giving her a pointed look. Carly nodded quickly and cleared her throat.

_"My beating heart belongs to you."_

Freddie paused. Who was singing? He knew that the voice didn't belong to Sam. He went back to the edge of the fire escape and looked up to see Carly reading off of the PearPhone.

_"I walked for miles 'til I found you."_

Freddie smiled. He took a deep breath before singing along with her;

_"I'm here to honor you  
>If I lose everything in the fire<br>I'm sending all my love to you."_

"Now what?" Carly asked Sam.

"Just let me get this part," Sam assured. She took a deep breath and stared straight out into the city skyline- she could feel Freddie's eyes staring at her- before singing;

_"With every breath that I am worth here on Earth  
>I'm sending all my love to you<br>So if you dare to second guess, you can rest assured  
>That all my love's for you<em>

_My beating heart belongs to you."_

She nudged to Carly, who nodded back. Freddie let out a small chuckle before singing along with Carly;

_"I walked for miles 'til I found you."_

Sam smiled at her friend before joining her and Freddie, too.

_"I'm here to honor you  
>If I lose everything in the fire<br>I'm sending all my love to you."_

"You're doing great, Carly," Sam said.

"I guess I needed to see the words to do this," Carly breathed. "Gosh, why can't it always be this easy?"

"Because you have to speak the music, not read it," Sam reminded her. Neither girl noticed how Freddie was slowly climbing up the fire escape to join. Sam laughed at nothing in particular.

_"My beating heart belongs to you."_

Freddie took a deep breath.

_"I walked for miles 'til I found you."_

The two girls turned around, startled. They all stared at each other before smiling.

_"I'm here to honor you  
>If I lose everything in the fire<br>Did I ever make it through?"_

Carly screamed as Sam's phone vibrated in her hand. Sam snatched it back and read it.

"Brad's coming here," Sam told Carly. "You mind if I spend the night?"

"Sure. Where does Brad even live?" Carly asked.

"On the second floor," Sam replied absent-mindedly as she texted Brad back.

"Do you want to hang out with us, Freddie?" Carly asked, smiling innocently, as if the fight Freddie and Brad had earlier didn't happen.

"I guess," Freddie answered. "As long as I can hold you hand." Freddie took Carly's hand and led her through the window. Sam made a face at them once their backs were turned.

"Oh, Fredweird, you can't beat me at my own game," Sam laughed. "You don't even know the moves."


	9. VoulezVous

_**(A/N: Just before I was going to pick the next song, I saw that there's a musical called "**_**I Ham What I Ham**_**" and thought of Sam Puckett in an instant.)**_

"Sam, didn't you start dating Brad a week ago?" Valerie asked. "How come you broke up with him already?"

"He wasn't the boy I really loved," Sam answered subtly, taking a sip from her styrofoam cup of Strawberry Splat.

"Then who do you _really_ love?" Missy asked, raising her eyebrows and smirking. The other girls at the table giggled, and Sam shook her head.

"That part, my friends, is none of your business," she answered. The girls groaned and punched Sam's shoulder lightly.

"Well, the gossip mill is about to die," Wendy hinted dramatically. Sam made a face, causing the two good friends to laugh if off.

"Give us a hint," Patrice begged. "Does he go to Ridgeway?"

"Yes," Sam answered, rolling her eyes. "Where else? Briarwood?" The other girls began laughing as if Sam had said the best joke in the world.

"I was offered a scholarship there," Carly said. Everyone stopped and stared at Carly.

"You said no, right?" Tasha asked as she gnawed on a carrot stick.

"Of course," Carly answered cautiously. "It's in Yakama, and I don't want to drive three hours a day for school. I mean, that's crazy!"

"Only bitches go there," Sam said sourly.

"Like Melanie!" Shannon piped up in the little bit of English she knew. Sam slammed her fist down on the table, startling her.

"I will send you on the first flight back to Hungary with a broken leg and unable to speak anything," she threatened.

"I sorry, I sorry!" Shannon cried, shaking her head, seeming as if she was about to burst into tears.

"Good." Carly was about to ask who Melanie was, but decided against it, just in case Sam would end up ripping her head off.

"Well, is he a junior at Ridgeway?" Tasha asked Sam, changing the subject back.

"Maybe," Sam answered, dragging out the word as long as she could. The other girls whispered among themselves, trying to figure out who.

"Is he... your ex?" Wendy asked, wiggling her eyebrows. The other girls began laughing and Sam waved her hands until they quieted down.

"Yes." The girls began screaming in joy, causing everyone else in the Groovy Smoothie to leave, obviously annoyed.

"Which ex of yours is it?" Valerie asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm not saying anything!" The girls groaned and threw balled up napkins at Sam.

"Hey!" T-Bo shouted at the large group of girls. "When can I put all of the tables back?" He motioned to the giant empty space in the middle of the restaurant, as the other girls had dragged all of the tables and chairs to the raised platform by the staircase in the restaurant.

"Later," Sam replied. T-Bo let out a frustrated groan and stormed into the kitchen.

"Well, I'm going to go use the bathroom," Carly said. She rose out of her seat and walked briskly towards the restrooms. As soon as she did, the front door flung open, and a bunch of guys from Ridgeway ran through. The girls squealed in delight and tried to avoid them as the boys poked their guts and played with their hair.

_"People everywhere  
>A sense of expectation<br>Hanging in the air  
>Giving out a spark<br>Across the room your eyes  
>Are glowing in the dark."<em>

The girls were trapped in the middle of a ring of boys who were reaching out for them, longing to be with them. They giggled and slapped the boys' hands away.

_"And here we go again  
>We know the start<br>We know the end  
>Masters of the scene<br>We've done it all before  
>And now we're back<br>To get some more  
>You know what I mean."<em>

Sam made a quick decision to get on her hands and knees and crawl underneath and between everyone's legs to get to the outside of the large crowd without being caught.

_"Voulez-vous  
>Take it now or leave it<br>Now is all we get  
>Nothing promised<br>Voulez-vous  
>Ain't no big decision<br>You know what to do  
>La question<br>C'est voulez-vous  
>Voulez-vous."<em>

"Sam!" Sam turned to see Shane, smiling and waving.

"Shane?" Sam asked, confused. "What... Why...?"

"I realized today why you've rejected me after all of these years," Shane said. "You wanted me to be your first kiss, but then I opted with Missy instead! Don't worry, I will change that!" He disappeared back into the crowd. "You'll see!"

"Oh boy," Sam sighed as she picked up her smoothie cup (at least she thought) and took a giant sip as the boys moved in on the girls.

_"And here we go again  
>We know the start<br>We know the end  
>Masters of the scene<br>We've done it long before  
>And now we're back<br>To get some more  
>You know what I mean.<em>

_Voulez-vous  
>Take it now or leave it<br>Now it all we get  
>Nothing promised<br>No regrets."_

"Sam!"

"Oh, no, not now!" Sam moaned as Freddie ran up to her.

"Wendy says that you're in love with one of your exes," he said.

"Don't believe that ginger," Sam protested.

"It's alright," Freddie assured her. "I know who it is!"

"You do?" Sam asked.

"Of course- it's me!"

"Oh... no..."

"Well, after all of the singing and actions and signals, I don't know who else!" Freddie kissed Sam's cheek and backed away. "I love you too!"

"Why me?" Sam asked to no one in particular.

_"Voulez-vous  
>Ain't no big decision<br>You know what to do  
>La question<br>C'est voulez-vous  
>Voulez-vous."<em>

"Sam, baby, I need to talk to you!" Brad called out. He reached for Sam and pulled her into the crowd.

"Brad, this isn't the place!" Sam cried.

"I don't care where this happens, I just need to let you know that I know that I'm the one you love," Brad said. Sam's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked.

"It's okay, because I'll go back out with you!" He planted a big, wet kiss on Sam's lips. He smiled as he pulled away and joined the others as they put their arms around each other and turned in different directions, depending on which circle they were in. Sam stood in the middle, alone and confused.

_"Voulez-vous  
>Take it now or leave it<br>Now is all we get  
>Nothing promised<br>No regrets  
>Voulez-vous<br>Ain't no big decision  
>You know what to do<br>Pas question  
>Voulez-vous."<em>

All of Sam's exes were in the inner circle. The next circle was everyone else. All eyes were on Sam, who kept on turned in circles, staring at someone else's eyes every time. Eventually, the commotion cause Sam to fall over and black out. The last words she heard after the music stopped was from Carly;

"Did you guys... _DANG IT_!"


	10. A Guy What Takes His Time

"Gosh, Sam is staying until tomorrow?" Carly asked Wendy. She was sitting with her friends in the cafeteria the next day, and all anyone would talk about was Sam fainting in the middle of the Groovy Smoothie yesterday afternoon. She was rushed to the hospital and tested many times to make sure she was okay. Her mother wasn't in town, so Sam wasn't allowed to be discharged until Miss Puckett went over and did so herself.

"Or later," Wendy corrected. "Who knows where Sam's mom is? I mean, _I_ don't even know where she is, and I know everything about everyone in Seattle!"

"And even worse," Valerie added, "Sam isn't letting in _any_ visitors!"

"Because she's afraid that one of her exes will go in there," Tasha said matter-of-factly. "I know that Gibby asked her out, but I don't know if they actually did go out. What if it's him?"

"Trust me, hun, it isn't."

"Well, I heard Sam mention something about her mom getting laser hair removal at some new place across the country!" Patrice exclaimed. "We might not see Sam for weeks, or months even!"

"Is her mom really that bad?" Carly asked, raising her eyebrows. All of the other girls nodded, their eyes wide.

"She bought a three-legged cat named Frothy!" Tasha said.

"And she wears size two bikinis even though she's a size eight," Valerie added. All of the girls shuddered at the mental image of Miss Puckett in one of her tiny bikinis. Carly decided not to ask any other questions.

"Is this really all about what guys she likes?" Carly asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Maybe it's Lance!" Wendy exclaimed. She pulled out her phone and began typing up a text message.

"What is it with you girls and the guys at this school?" Carly asked. "I mean, do you think about anything else?"

"What about the guys back where you used to live?" Missy asked. All of the other girls giggled and playfully shoved Carly, who smiled and shook her head.

"They were actually gentlemen," Carly answered. "Back in California, they were complete saints. Both at my school and at my brother Spencer's school. But I didn't really date them."

"What kind of guys _would_ you date?" Shannon asked. Carly sighed and stood up. She had been watching musicals, so hopefully, she would nail this one.

_"A guy what takes his time, I'll go for anytime  
>I'm a fast moving gal who likes them slow<br>Got no use for fancy driving, want to see a guy arriving in low  
>I'd be satisfied, electrified to know a guy what takes his time."<em>

Carly stood up and sauntered over to the guys' table. They watched intently as Carly began toying with Brad's hair, massaging it as he stood perfectly still, unsure of how to react.

_"A hurry-up affair, I always give the air  
>Wouldn't give any rushing gent a smile<br>I would go for any singer who would condescend to linger awhile  
>What a lullaby would be supplied to have a guy what takes his time."<em>

Carly grazed her fingers across Jonah's back as she moved on to Shane, hugging him from behind and rocking slowly.

_"A guy what takes his time, I'd go for anytime  
>A hasty job really spoils a master's touch<br>I don't like a big commontion, I'm a demon for slow motion or such  
>Why should I deny that I would die to know a guy who takes his time?"<em>

Carly tousled Gibby's hair and smiled as she moved onto Freddie's lap. She lightly poked the edge of his nose, grinning.

_"There isn't any fun in getting something done  
>If you're rushed when you have to make the grade<br>I can spot an amateur, appreciate a connesseur in his trade  
>Who would qualify, no alibi, to be the guy who takes his time?<em>

_Oh-whoa  
>Oh-whoa-whoa-oh."<em>

"Someone's been practicing her singing voice lately," Freddie teased, poking Carly's nose back.

"Well, maybe I can get some more _extra_ practice later tonight, if you know what I mean," Carly flirted, winking. Freddie grinned and nodded.

"Oh, and for the record, singing a song from a movie still doesn't count." Carly growled and slammed her fist on the table, startling everyone sitting around them.

"_DANG IT!_"


	11. Before The Lobotomy

Sam looked around the room to see the three other girls who were with her. Sam was lucky enough to have her gurney by the window, while the others were in a line with her towards the door. The curtain dividers weren't out, so Sam could get a view of the others. She couldn't recognize a single girl. She sighed and turned from one side to the other to look out the window. All she could see was the bright blue sky, but nothing was bright for Sam. Her mother could be gone for at least another week, meaning that her reign in Ridgeway High School was jeopradized. Sam rolled onto her back and used the remote control for her bed to move it so she was in a sitting position. The other girls next to her, although they were asleep, were in the same position as well. Sam sighed and began to sing softly,

_"Dreaming  
>I was only dreaming<br>Of another place and time  
>Where my family's from."<em>

Sam repeated herself, while the girl next to her joined in, apparently waking up in the middle of Sam's singing.

_"Dreaming (Singing)  
>I was only dreaming (I can hear them singing)<br>Of another place in time (When the rain has washed away)  
>Where my family's from (All these scattered dreams)."<em>

Sam wasn't going to stop, and neither did the next girl. The third awoken as well and decided to add to the duo.

_"Dreaming (Singing) [Dying]  
>I was only dreaming (I can hear them singing) [Everyone is dying]<br>Of another place in time (When the rain has washed away) [Hearts are washed in misery]  
>Where my family's from (All these scattered dreams) [Drenched in gasoline]."<em>

Now the fourth girl was awake, and she was intrigued by what was going on, wanting to be in on the trio herself.

_"Dreaming (Singing) [Dying] {Laughing}  
>I was only dreaming (I can hear them singing) [Everyone is dying] {There is no more laughing}<br>Of another place in time (When the rain has washed away) [Hearts are washing in misery] {Songs of yesterday}  
>Where my family's from (All these scattered dreams) [Drenched in gasoline] {Now live in the underground}."<em>

"That's one hell of an alarm clock," the girl closest to the door remarked.

"What else is there left to do?" Sam replied, sighing. "My mom isn't going to get me out of here for a while, so I'm stuck with you."

"Well, if we're forced roommates," the girl said, "I'm Jamie." Sam studied her carefully. The girl had curves at all of the right places, but with a tiny bit of a gut on her as well. She had bottle-blonde hair layered over darker brown waves. Her brown eyes were innocent, just like the rest of her seemed. Her skin was a perfect shade of tan, and she had a slight Southern accent.

"I'm Sam."

"My name is Ariana," said the girl next to Jamie. She had deep brown eyes and tan skin that gave away that she was of Spanish descent. Her curly brown hair was a bit more frizzy than Sam's longer curls. She smiled and had a voice slightly higher than Sam's.

"Guess that makes me the unnamed roommate," the girl next to Sam stated, smirking. She stuck out her hand to Sam. "Lani Hilmeds."

"Don't," Sam said, shaking her head. Lani pulled her hand back. She had dark brown hair and pale skin. Her green eyes were the color of emeralds, and shined like them as well. Sam could tell that these girls were all talented by what they just sung.

"We go to school at Ridgeway now," Ariana said. "However, the girls at our old school decided to put in some weird stuff that made us sick."

"We used to be enrolled at Briarwood," Jamie added. "The girl who did this to us was Melanie-"

"Don't mention her, I _hate_ her guts!" Sam groaned.

"Every one of us does," Lani said. "We're hoping the Ridgeway will help us start over anew."

"I can help you with that," Sam said, grinning. "Ridgeway is my domain, and I'll make sure that _everybody_ knows who you are."

"Really?" the girls cried gleefully.

"Sure, just let me get us some help with that." Sam pulled out her phone and sent out texts to different people.

"What'cha doing?" Ariana asked.

"We're getting out of here," Sam answered. "I know by now that I'm probably losing my people, but we'll get them back."

"What makes you so sure?" Jamie asked.

Sam smirked. "Don't doubt Mama."

* * *

><strong>(AN: Jamie and Ariana are from the episode "iSpeed Date", the two girls who asked Freddie to the Girl's Choice Dance, but each got another guy to go with them. Most likely, Jamie refers to Jamie Lynn Spears [from Zoey 101] and Ariana Grande [from VicTORIous]. Lani Hilmeds is an anagram for someone else that I won't reveal to you yet, but if you figure it out, then SHH! keep it a secret. It's something that you'll really need to think about though, so have fun and don't hurt yourself over this.)**


	12. Telephone Hour

Wendy heard her PearPhone ringing from her nightstand. She put down her math book and picked it up to see that it was Valerie. She grinned and pressed the green button.

_"Hi, Valerie!"_

_"Hi, Wendy!"_

_"What's the story, morning glory?"_

_"What's the tale, nightingale?  
>Tell me quick about Freddie and Carly!"<em>

* * *

><p>Tasha gasped when she read the text message Patrice had sent her and called her instantly.<p>

_"Hi, Tasha!"_

_"Hi, Patrice!  
>What's the story, morning glory?"<em>

_"What's the word, hummingbird?"_

_"Have you heard about Freddie and Carly?"_

* * *

><p>The four girls giggled into the phones.<p>

_"Did she really give it?  
>Did she kiss him and cry?<br>Did he put you-know-what on,  
>Or was it her time?<em>

_Well I heard she gave it (Yeah, yeah)  
>I was hoping she would! (Uh-huh)<br>Now she's one of us at last!  
>No longer pure and good!"<em>

* * *

><p>Shannon picked up her phone, wanting to be like her friends.<p>

_"Hello, Mr. Young, this is little Shannon  
>Can I speak to Jonah, please?"<em>

She waited eagerly for Jonah to talk into the receiver.

_"Is it true about them?"_

"Jonah, listen-"

_"I just knew it somehow!"_

"Maybe we could-"

_"I must call him right up!"_

"Saturday?"

_"I can't talk to you now!"_

Shannon sighed and began searching through her contact list again.

* * *

><p>All of the guys were talking on the phone too, shaking their heads.<p>

_"(She gave it!) You know it, man  
>(She gave it!) It's crazy man<br>(She gave it!) You know it!"_

* * *

><p>"It won't last!" Wendy declared.<p>

"Not at all!" Valerie agreed.

* * *

><p>"She's too thin!" Patrice said, making a face.<p>

"He's not tall!" Tasha complained.

* * *

><p>Shannon heard the phone ring twice before someone answered it.<p>

_"Hello Mrs. Gibson, this is little Shannon  
>Can I talk to Orenthal Cornelius?"<em>

She was responded to by Mrs. Gibson hanging up the phone promptly.

* * *

><p>Freddie pulled on his jeans over his boxers when his phone ring. He looked to see it was Shane. He answered it. "Hello?"<p>

_"Hiya, Freddie!  
>Hiya, stupid!<br>What'cha wanna go get laid for?"_

Freddie hung up and began putting his belt on. He wondered why Carly was taking so long in the bathroom. Now Jonah was calling him. He groaned and answered. It was a bunch of people on the other line; he forgot that the guys were hanging out today.

_"Well, I heard you got in (I was hoping you would!)  
>Lost your moral? (Now their living at last!)<br>Are ya nutty?"_

Freddie hung up the phone and shook his head. Who knows what was their problem with him getting laid- especially with the new girl.

* * *

><p>Shannon went to her very last resort.<p>

_"Hello Mrs. Benson, is Freddie back from Carly's yet?"_

"From where?" Mrs. Benson hung up on Shannon. Shannon sighed and threw her phone down.

* * *

><p>All of the girls were gathered in Wendy's room now, while the guys were hanging out at Jonah's. All of them were having mixed feelings.<p>

_"Did he really get in? (Going steady)  
>We was hoping he would! (Going steady)<br>Now she's living at last (Going steady)  
>No longer pure and good!"<em>

* * *

><p>The guys all shook their heads.<p>

_"If you gotta go, that's the way to go_

_When they get you hooked,  
>Then you're really cooked!<br>What'cha gonna do?  
>What'cha gonna do?"<em>

* * *

><p>The girls were all updating their online statuses with the news.<p>

_"Well, I heard he got in  
>We was hoping he would<br>Now she's living at last!  
>No longer pure and good!<em>

_Getting Freddie  
>Getting Freddie<br>Getting Freddie, Freddie for good!_

_Oh yeah!"_

* * *

><p>"Spencer is going to shoot us when he realizes!" Freddie told Carly as he slipped a shirt his over his head.<p>

"He said he had to go do somethings with Socko for a while," Carly said while she pulled up her skirt. "He won't be back for a while."

"That's good," Freddie sighed in relief. "For a second, I thought-"

"FREDWARD BENSON, YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!" Mrs. Benson's voice rang up to the bedroom. The two teens' eyes widened and Freddie bolted out the door.

"So much for not getting caught by his mom," Carly said.


	13. Seasons of Love & All That Jazz

"Gosh, how did you get those men to dress up as women and let us out of the hospital?" Ariana gushed. "They didn't even hesitate or ask many questions; they just did it!"

"That's my power in Seattle, Ari," Sam said.

"Ari? Is that, like, a nickname?" Ariana beamed.

"Sure, we've all got one." Sam looked at Jamie. "You can be Jams."

"Sweet!" Jamie exclaimed.

"What about me?" Lani asked. "What would my nickname be?"

"Huh," Sam said. "I don't know. I kind of like Lani though."

"That's cool too!" Lani blurted. "What's Sam short for?"

"Samantha. But don't _ever_ call me that!"

"Alright, alright," the girls said quickly, not wanting to disappoint their new friend.

"What are the guys at Ridgeway like?" Jamie asked. "Are they sweet?"

"Are they loyal?" Ariana added.

"Are they at least attractive?" Lani asked.

"Depends on who you're thinking of," Sam explained. "For example, there's Jonah. Him and Wendy used to go out, until I found out that he was trying to use her to get to me. Shane was supposed to be my first kiss, but chose Wendy instead. Brad will go out with any breathing girl, and refers to all of us as 'smoking hot'. And Freddie is going out with Carly Shay for now, but he gets around fast. If you somehow find Gibby attractive, I feel really bad for you because he's nothing more than a shirtless potato. But if you're looking for love..." Sam trailed off. The girls stared at her, waiting for her to tell them something else. But she didn't utter a sound.

"Have you ever found love at Ridgeway?" Jamie asked.

"Love isn't something easy to find at Ridgeway," Sam answered.

"It isn't easy to find love at Briarwood, either," Lani admitted. "Stupid Melanie kept on stealing away every guy before we could get to them. It was awful."

"We'll probably have a better chance at Ridgeway" Ariana said gleefully as the four walked through the front doors of Ridgeway High School. The halls were empty, since it was fifth period at the time.

"Is love, like, come around at certain times of the year?" Jamie asked.

"Not really," Sam said. The girls stood side-by-side and shared a look.

_"525,600 minutes  
>525,000 moments so dear<br>525,600 minutes- how do you measure  
>Measure a year?"<em>

"Is that how love is?" Ariana asked. The girls solemnly shook their heads.

_"In daylights, in sunsets,  
>In midnights, in cups of coffee<br>In inches, in miles,  
>In laughter, in strife<br>In 525,600 minutes- how do you measure a year of a life?"_

"Well?" the three girls asked Sam.

_"How about love?  
>How about love?<br>How about love?  
>Measure in love<br>Seasons of love."_

"Are there really that many minutes in a year?" Sam asked. The others gave her a confused look. "What? I don't pay attention in English class!" Ariana and Lani stepped forward, feeling as if there were a spotlight on them. They, surprisingly, did know that number.

_"525,600 minutes!  
>525,000 journeys to plan<br>525,600 minutes- how can you measure the life of a woman or man?"_

Ariana smiled at Lani.

_"In truths that she learned-"_

Lani smiled back.

_"-or times that he cried-"_

_"-in bridges he burned-"_

_"-or the way that she died."_

Sam and Jamie stepped up next to Ariana and Lani. The four girls held the hands of the girls next to them.

_"It's now time to sing out,  
>The story never ends<br>Let's celebrate  
>Remember a year in the life of friends<em>

_How about love  
>How about love<br>How about love  
>Measure the love<br>Seasons of love  
>Seasons of love!"<em>

The bell rang, and the halls suddenl overflowed with students. The four girls ushered themselves into the bathroom to avoid the commotion. Sam knew that nobody knew she was out of the hospital and back in Ridgeway, and there was no way she'd want to come back without making a scene. The girls waited until the late bell rang five minutes later; Sam knew that by now everyone would be in the cafeteria, eating their lunches calmly. She stomped out of the bathroom, the girls following her closely.

"Where are we going?" Ariana asked.

"Somewhere where we can make a scene," Sam answered.

* * *

><p>The two lunch tables- guys and girls- had formed into one huge table. It became so overcrowded that girls had to sit on guys' laps in order for there to be room for everyone to have a seat. Naturally, Carly was seated on Freddie's lap, her face turning bright pink every now and then whenever someone mentioned what she and Freddie done over the weekend. Even though Mrs. Benson had found out and was infuriorated, she was glad that he had found someone else other than Sam to be with for once. Tasha was on Gibby's lap, feeding him strawberries, laughing about whipped cream every few minutes. Valerie was resting her head on Jonah's shoulder while he gave the others thumbs-ups. Wendy was trying to make a move on Shane, but Shane constantly shot her down. Shannon constantly wondered off into space whenever the group used words that she didn't know, but attempted to stay focused.<p>

"Oh, my god!" Patrice shouted as she ran into the cafeteria, Pete at her side. They knocked down anyone who was in their way by pushing them over. They reached their friends' table, gripping the edge and taking deep, jagged breaths.

"What?" Wendy asked, whipping out her phone. "Make sure to make it under one hundred sixty characters, please. I'm over my texting limit."

"So, we were making out in the hallways," Pete said, "and all of the sudden, _Sam_ comes out of the girls bathroom with three other chicks! And they're on their way here _right now!_"

"Whoa, hold it," Freddie said, putting his hands up. "Where was this?"

"The six lockers after the principal's office."

"Aw man, that's where my locker is!"

"How'd you guys get here before them?" Carly asked.

"We ran through, like, three classrooms as a shortcut," Patrice answered. "But the girls will be here soon!" The cafeteria slowly quieted down and watched in shock as Sam walked into the cafeteria. Behind her were three unfamiliar girls that no one else knew. They all had smug looks on their faces as they stood in the middle of the cafeteria. The three girls helped Sam on top of one of the tables. Everyone sitting there backed away quickly, in case they'd get kicked in the face. The girls helped themselves onto the ends of other tables nearby; Lani across from Sam, Ariana behind Lani, and Jamie behind Sam, across from Ariana.

"Miss me?" Sam asked before kicking her right leg straight out.

_"Come on babe  
>Why don't we paint the town<br>And All That Jazz."_

Jamie shimmied forwards and backwards twice.

_"I'm gonna rogue my knees  
>And roll my stockings down<br>And All That Jazz."_

Ariana put her hands above her head, shaking her hips as she bent lower towards the table.

_"Start the car  
>I know a whoopee spot<br>Where the gin is cold  
>But the piano's hot!"<em>

She stuck her rear in the air and bent the rest of her body upwards, her arms running up along the front of her legs. She posed with her hip jutted out and her hand resting gently on it. Lani did a front aerial across the table, landing in a split. She slid her legs together and left them slightly bent on the table, arching her back up as she lied across the table.

_"It's just a noisy hall  
>Where there's a nightly brawl<br>And All  
>That<br>Jazz!"_

Lani stood up and did a running front layout off of the table. The others did front aerials off of the table. Sam and Ariana landed in a sitting position, while Jamie and Lani were in standing. Sam and Ariana moved into a kneeling position. Everyone watched as Lani tossed Sam and Jamie tossed Ariana by their legs into a front aerial, with the girls landing on their feet. They climbed back onto the tables, every pair of eyes on them.

"Was Sam always that acrobatic?" Shane asked.

"Uh-uh," Wendy responded. "I would've known, trust me."

Lani did a pirouette quatre, ending with one leg out and her foot pointed, a smirk on her face.

_"Slick your hair  
>And wear your buckle shoes<br>And All That Jazz."_

Jamie did a straddle split leap and spun on the ball of her heel, seeming as if she was going to fall over. Of course, she didn't.

_"I hear that father dip  
>Is gonna blow the blues<br>And All That Jazz."_

Ariana kicked out her leg and completed a side aerial.

_"Hold on, hon  
>We're gonna bunny hug<br>I bought some aspirin  
>Down at United Drug."<em>

Sam did a roundoff handspring, landing sitting down with one leg propped up. She looked directly over at her friends two tables over, smiling.

_"In case you shake apart  
>And want a brand-new start<br>To do that Jazz!"_

The girls jumped onto the floor and did cartwheels down the small aisle. Others ran behind them, random people occasionally joining in for a cartwheel or two.

_"Skidoo!"_

Everyone was swept up in this, except for the small group of popular kids who were still speechless. Sam did a valdez back onto her feet and shook her hips with every syllable;

_"And All That Jazz!"_

The cafeteria was into the entire performance.

_"Hotcha!  
>Whoopee!"<em>

Sam jumped one table closer.

_"And All That Jazz!"_

Now the table was surrounded, trapping the group.

_"Hah! Hah! Hah!"_

Sam jumped over their heads onto the middle of the table, staring right down at Freddie.

_"It's just a noisy hall  
>Where there's a nightly brawl."<em>

Everyone threw their hands up in the air.

_"And All That Jazz!"_

"Hi!" Ariana shouted as she hopped up to the group.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Valerie asked.

"Ariana!" The girl laughed as she hopped back into the crowd, nearly disappearing instantly. The others shook their heads in confusion before looking back up at Sam. Everyone around them threw their hands towards the blonde.

_"And All That Jazz!"_

Sam crouched down lower, grinning.

_"Come on babe  
>We're gonna brush the sky<br>I bet you lucky Lindy  
>Never flew so high<em>

_'Cause in the stratosphere  
>How could he lend an ear<br>To All That Jazz!"_

Everyone started shaking their hips rythmically.

_"Oh, you're gonna see her shabe shimmy shake!"_

Sam shook her hip three times- left, right, left- as she stood back up.

_"And All That Jazz!"_

Now everyone shimmied their chests forwards and backwards.

_"Oh, she's gonna shimmy till her garter breaks!"_

Sam mocked them.

_"And All That Jazz!"_

Everyone crouched down and shot back up in a straddle position.

_"Show her where to park her girdle  
>Oh, her mother's blood is curdle<br>If she's hear  
>That her baby's queer<br>For All That Jazz!_

_And All That Jazz!"_

Sam grinned while everyone began moving in concentric circle, randomly pausing to throw their heads back and kick their legs forward. The group moved closer together in order to avoid getting kicked in the face. Sam turned on her toes and stopped to face random people.

_"Come on, babe (Oh, you're gonna see)  
>Why don't we paint the town? (Her sheba shimmy shake)<br>And All That Jazz! (And All That Jazz!)_

_I'm gonna rogue my knees (Oh, she's gonna shimmy)  
>And roll my stocking down (Till her garter breaks)<br>And All That Jazz! (And All That Jazz!)_

_Start the car (Show her where)  
>I know a whoopee spot (To park her girdle)<br>Where the gin is cold (Oh, her mother's)  
>But the piano's hot (Blood'd curdle)<br>It's just a noisy hall (If she's hear)  
>Where there's a nightly brawl (That her baby's queer)<br>And All That Jazz! (For All That Jazz!)"_

"I'm Jamie," Jamie introduced herself. She shook Carly's hand randomly and disappeared back into the crowd. Lani came forward and tapped on Freddie's shoulder. He turned around fast and stared in awe.

"Hello," he said. "I'm Freddie." Lani giggled.

"I know who you are," she said. "The real question is if you know who _I_ am." With that, she vanished into the sea of students. Freddie gazed on after her without Carly's realization.

_"Hotcha!  
>Whoopee!<br>Jazz!"_

Sam sat down and leaned in to Carly and Freddie.

_"No, I'm no one's wife  
>But, oh, I love my life<br>And All That Jazz."_

Everyone backed away and sang in a hushed tone,

_"That Jazz!"_

"So, tell me," Sam said, "how much did you all miss me?"


	14. Part of Your World & Light My Candle

_**(A/N: This chapter is about two main shippings- Creddie and Tibby. If you don't know what Tibby is, then you'll find out soon enough. But this is a big chapter for a certain character...)**_

* * *

><p>Carly wondered down the halls alone. Lunch wasn't anywhere near over yet, and no one would budge away from Sam and her crew. Not even Freddie, who swore that he wanted nothing to do with the blonde ever again. It was all about her and the three girls that she appeared with, Ariana, Jamie, and Lani. Carly remembered when she first walked into school and Sam, Valerie, and Wendy sung just for her, even though Gibby <em>did<em> ruin it for all of them. Still, she didn't worry about the four girls to just step into school and automatically have a billion things to do, including an acro dance to _Chicago_ of all shows. Carly opened her locker and threw her bag inside of it. She leaned back against it and sighed. Inside of her locker were all of the picture and memories of the few weeks she'd been in Seattle, all of them involving Sam.

_"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?  
>Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?<br>Wouldn't you think I'm the girl  
>The girl who has everything?"<em>

She picked up her photobooth pictures with Sam. Most of them were the two making faces and hugging each other. At one point, Brad was in a strip of four, and another with Freddie, and a third with Gibby and Tasha. Carly even had strips of pictures with Missy, Valerie, and Wendy too, when Sam was in the hospital. Then there were the things they bought at random places in the mall or whatever carnival or festival happened to be in town at the time.

_"Look at this trove, treasures untold  
>How many wonders can one cavern hold<br>Looking around here, you'd think  
>Sure, she's got everything."<em>

Carly picked up her bag and put it on the floor. In her locker was the randomest items she could ever imagine. A grapefruit with a face on it that Gibby gave her. A wooden red rose from Freddie. A bra that she and Sam put together at Build-A-Bra to freak out other guys, or turn them on. A few coupons to the Pear Store from Brad, since he was into computers and stuff, surprisingly. Random gifts from random guys, including a blue stuffed dog that Sam partly shaved while they watched FRED videos together.

_"I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty  
>I've got who's-its and what's-its galore<br>You want thing-a-mabobs? I've got twenty._

_But who cares?  
>No big deal<br>I want more."_

Carly put everything back into her locker and shut it gently. She put her forehead against the cool metal and took a deep breath.

_"I wanna be where the people are  
>I wanna see, wanna watch them dancing<br>Walking around on those, what do you call them?  
>Oh, feet."<em>

Carly pushed herself off of the locker and spun in a circle smiling.

_"Flipping your fins, you don't get too far  
>Legs are required for jumping, dancing<br>Strolling along down the, what's that word again?  
>Street."<em>

She waltzed over to the staircase. She held onto the rail and leaned back far, as if she was going to fall, but never doing so.

_"Up where they walk  
>Up where they run<br>Up where they stay all day in the sun_

_Wandering free  
>Wish I could be<br>Part of that world."_

Carly ran up to the first landing and looked around. Naturally, no one was around. But she didn't mind that at all.

_"What would I give if I could live out of these waters?  
>What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand?<em>

_Betcha on land  
>They understand<br>They don't reprimand their daughters_

_Certain women  
>Sick of swimming<br>Ready to stand."_

Carly slid down the rail and bumped into Freddie. They fell onto the floor, surprising each other.

"Carly, are you... singing?" Freddie asked, surprised. Carly stood up and pulled him onto his feet, grinning from ear to ear.

_"I wanna know what the people know  
>Ask them some questions and get some answers!<br>What's a fire? And why does it, what's the word?  
>Burn."<em>

"Carly, this is incredible!" Freddie exclaimed. "You found you voice! You finally found it! It's a miracle!" Carly ran up the stairs again. Freddie watched from the bottom of the staircase, awestruck.

_"When's it my turn?  
>Wouldn't I love<br>To explore the world up above?"_

Carly walked slowly back to Freddie, her hand lightly running across the top of the black rails. She put her arms on his broad shoulders, and his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist.

_"Out of the sea  
>Wish I could be<br>Part of that world."_

* * *

><p>"Tasha?" Gibby asked as he tried to make his way through his girlfriend's dim apartment. She had been forced out of her house to live in a crummy apartment that had bad electric problems. He was lucky that she'd called him before the phone was shut off again. It was late at night, and he had just dropped off Brad before coming over to Tasha's home.<p>

"Gibby, are you there?" he could here Tasha ask in a seductive tone. Gibby turned to see his girlfriend standing in the doorway to her bedroom wearing a thin nightgown and holding a partially melted candlestick. She shone from the moonlight out the many open windows.

"What'd you forget?" Gibby asked. She said that she left something at work, but he didn't know; he wasn't going to admit to her that when she called, he and Brad were at a strip club, either. Oddly enough, he swore that someone looked an awful lot like Tasha.

_"Got a light?"_

Tasha climbed over the ratty couch and ran her fingers across Gibby's arm. He pulled back.

"Did I see you? You- you're shivering," he said.

_"It's nothing  
>They justt turned off my heat<br>And I'm just a little  
>Weak on my feet<br>Would you light my candle?_

_What are you staring at?"_

Gibby tried to pretend he wasn't staring through her clothes.

_"Nothing  
>Your hair in the moonlight<br>You look familiar."_

Gibby pulled out a match from his jean pocket and lit it and Tasha's candle. She started heading back towards her room, but stumbled. "Can you make it?" he asked.

_"Just haven't eaten much today  
>At least the room stopped spinning<br>Anyway. What?"_

Gibby shook his head. "Nothing. You remind me of-"

"I always remind people of," Tasha interrupted. "Who is she?"

"No one, I think." Tasha blew out her candle.

_"I'm sorry about your friend  
>Sorry about your friend<br>Would you light my candle?"_

Gibby did so. The atmosphere became awkward between the couple, lingering in between each other.

"Well," Gibby said.

"Yeah- OW!" Tasha winced.

_"Oh, the wax- it's-"_

_"Dripping!  
>I like it- between my-"<em>

"Fingers!" Gibby exclaimed. "I figured. Oh, well. Goodnight." Tasha smiled and left the room. Gibby was about to sit down, until he heard a knock on the bedroom door. "It blew out again?" he asked.

_"No, I think that I dropped my stash."_

_"I know I've seen you out about about  
>When I used to go out-<br>Your candle's out."_

_"I'm illing  
>I had it when I walked in the door<br>It was creamy and thick-  
>Is it on the floor?"<em>

Tasha got down on all fours and started crawling around, searching desperately. Gibby watched her go past him, smiling. Tasha noticed as well.

_"They say that I have the best ass below the fourteenth street  
>Is it true?"<em>

"What?" Gibby snapped to attention.

"You're staring."

"Oh, no. I mean you do- have a nice- you look familiar." Gibby felt heat rise to his cheeks, but knew that Tasha wouldn't see it.

"Like your ex-girlfriend?" Tasha asked.

_"Only when you smile  
>But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else-"<em>

_"Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club?  
>That's where I work- I dance- help me look."<em>

Gibby got on all fours as well and helped. He even lit the candle yet again. Of course; he was at the Cat Scratch Club with Brad earlier! He knew the pole girl looked extremely familiar.

_"Yes!  
>They used to tie you up!"<em>

_"It's a living."_

Unsurprisingly, the candle went out, again.

_"I didn't recognize you  
>Without the handcuffs."<em>

Tasha gave him a dirty look for bringing it up.

_"We could light the candle  
>Oh, would you light the candle?"<em>

Gibby relit the candle.

_"Why don't you forget that stuff  
>You look like you're sixteen."<em>

Tasha groaned.

_"I'm nineteen- but I'm old for my age  
>I'm just born to be bad."<em>

_"I once was born to be bad  
>I used to shiver like that."<em>

_"I have no heat, I told you."_

_"You never broke a sweat."_

_"I'm always cold."_

_"Uh huh  
>I used to be a freak."<em>

_"And now and then I like to-"_

_"Uh huh."_

_"Feel good."_

_"Here it- um."_

Gibby held up a can of unopened whipped cream, confused. Tasha giggled at him.

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's some whipped cream," he replied, grinning. He blew out the candle discreetly.

_"What'd you do to my candle?"_

_"That was my last match."_

_"Our eyes'll adjust  
>Thank God for the moonlight."<em>

_"Maybe it's not the moon at all  
>I hear Jonah is partying down the street."<em>

_"Bah humbug...  
>Bah humbug."<em>

Their hands intertwined.

"Cold hands," Gibby pointed out.

_"Yours too  
>Big, like my father's<br>You wanna dance?"_

_"With you?"_

_"No- with my father."_

"Gibby." The couple laughed.

_"They call me...  
>They call me Tasha."<em>

Tasha opened the cap for the whipped cream and shook the canister vigorously. She sprayed it all over Gibby's face. He stole the can from her and sprayed it back. She yelped in delight as he chased her into the bedroom, leaving behind a trail of the white cream behind them.


	15. Reflection & Cooties

All of the others were partying at Jonah's house, but tonight, Sam wasn't in the partying mood. She was sitting in her room, brushing out her hair while staring in the mirror. SHe had heard Carly singing earlier, and watched as she and Freddie made out afterwards. It immediately took away the effect she had when she came into the cafeteria earlier today. It just vanished, and her friends noticed it too. She told them to go to Jonah's party to help her keep tabs on what the others were doing. She decided that now she was going to stick with Ariana, Jamie, and Lani now, and that her old friends wouldn't need her help anymore. They had spread rumors about her, sung songs without her, and partied without her. She was basically nothing to any of them anymore. Even worse, her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend were in love now, and never out of each other's sight.

"Sammy?" Sam knew that voice anywhere. "Sammy, I'm home." In her mirror, she watched Melanie walk into the room and close the door behind her. She had her annoying high ponytail and loud clacky heels that Sam wanted to gauge her eyes out with sometimes. She wished that they weren't twins.

"What do you want Melanie?" she asked bitterly.

"I'm home for right now, so I wanted to say hi," she said. "Aren't I allowed to see my own sister?"

"I want to be left alone for now," she said, trying her hardest not to cry.

"Can we at least talk tomorrow?" Melanie pleaded. Sam sighed and mentally cursed herself.

"We'll go to the Groovy Smoothie and catch up, okay?" she caved in. Melanie nodded and walked backwards out of the room.

"I'm going to bed now," she said. "See you in the morning." Melanie left the room and shut the door. Sam sighed and stared at herself in the mirror. Her entire face was covered in makeup. Eyeshadow, concealer, lipstick, mascara, the whole shebang. Sam was disgusted by it.

_"Look at me  
>I will never pass for a perfect girl<br>Or a perfect friend  
>Can it be I'm not meant to play this part?"<em>

Sam put down her hairbrush gently, careful to not wake up her sister (Pucketts fell asleep almost in an instance) and let out a depressed sigh.

_"Now I see that if I were truly to be myself  
>I would break everybody's heart."<em>

Sam grabbed a rag and wiped off the dirt and smudges off of her mirror to see her own reflection.

_"Who is this girl I see  
>Staring straight back at me<br>Why is my reflection someone I don't know?"_

Sam flung the rag around the shake off the dirt, and then began picking out the rest of it with her fingers.

_"Somehow I cannot hide who I am  
>Though I've tried."<em>

She used the rag to wipe off the makeup from the left half of her face, staring at her reflection as she did.

_"When will my reflection show  
>Who I am inside."<em>

Sam put down the rag and stared at her reflection, On half still had concealer covering facial blemishes, layers of purple eyeshadow, mascara caked over her eyelashes, and bright red lipstick. The other half felt naked and fresh, letting her skin finally breathe. She didn't care that there was a zit hiding under her hair anymore. She would pop it later tonight anyways.

_"When will my reflection show  
>Who I am inside."<em>

Sam wiped off the rest of her makeup and took a deep breath. She heard loud footsteps echo throughout the house. The door opened, and Ariana, Jamie, and Lani ran through. They started connecting the camera in Lani's hands to the old television on her dresser.

"Hello to you too," Sam said sarcastically. "What's going on?"

"Remember how you told us to inform you about everything that was happening at Jonah's party?" Ariana asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, a bunch of them got totally wasted," Jamie said. "Well, except for the three of us."

"Continue..."

"We recorded what happened," Lanie told her. "And there's something that you're not going to like very much." Lani gulped and Sam watched as she turned on the television and hit the play button.

* * *

><p>"Oh my gosh, this is so much fun!" Wendy said before she hiccuped. Her red cup tipped over slightl, letting beer fall onto the carpet. "Isn't this fun you guys?"<p>

"Wendy, you're _wasted_," Carly giggled. She let out an obnoxious burp and began laughing.

"So are you!" The two began cracking up, even though nothing was funny. Wendy put her cup into the air. "To Carly finding her voice!"

"To Carly!" the others repeated. They all chugged their glasses and threw them towards the trash can. Most of them ended up missing.

"Hey, wh-where is Sam?" Brad asked. "Sh-she-e never misses a p-_hic_-arty."

"Who cares?" Freddie snapped, waving his arms at nothing. "We're having fun without her!"

"I heard," Valerie shouted, before shushing everyone. "I heard, she lives in a trailer park!" It became the biggest joke, even though everyone already knew so, and another round of laughter arose.

"I bet she's got cockroaches in her hair!" Jonah laughed.

"No- she's got COOTIES!" Carly crowed. She put her hands up and stepped onto the coffee table, pulling down the bottom of her miniskirt a but to cover herself up more. "Some-_hic _-one record this!"

"I will!" Lani suggested. She pretended to hit the record button, even though she'd been recording for almost twenty minutes now.

"M-me too!" Shannon said as she pulled out her PearPhone. "G-go!"

"Samantha Puckett, this is for you!" Carly shouted at Wendy. Everyone laughed and cheered, drunk out of their minds.

_"They came from way far out  
>In outer space<br>And with her help  
>They may destroy the human race!"<em>

The boys shot up and joined her.

_"She's got cooties!"_

The girls stood up and made faces.

_"Cooties!"_

Carly nodded at them for encouragement.

_"They've found a place to nest!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"If I were her I'd be depressed  
>Long tailed, sharp nailed<br>Fuzzy legs, laying eggs!"_

"Eww, get 'em away from me, get 'em away from me... eww!" Carly shrieked, swatting at the 'cooties' on her arm. Everyone else mocked her, while Pete brought around more red plastic cups of beer.

_"In science class  
>She's like a walking show-and-tell<br>Her pet skunk ran away  
>'Cause it couldn't take the smell!"<em>

The boys thrust their cups in the air, then the girls.

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"Nobody wants to sit by her!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"She don't need a coat  
>'Cause she's got fur!<br>Circle circle-"_

Everyone poked three dots midair.

_"Dot dot dot!"_

Carly pretended to stick a needle in her inner elbow.

_"Hurry get your cootie shot!"_

"Come on everybody, let's stamp 'em out!" Carly shouted, tipping over to the side a bit while Jonah filled up her glass. Everyone stomped on the floor, as if stepping on bugs.

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"She's just as friendly as can be!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"She shows them cootie hospitality!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"She's like a living 'Twilight Zone'!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"Quick, get Rod Sterling on the phone!  
>Black, white, red, green-"<em>

_"Every color in between!"_

_"Dresses like a circus clown!"_

_"Somebody better hose her down!"_

_"Grew up in a cootie zoo  
>I bet her two-ton mama's got 'em too!"<em>

"And that's for you!" Carly said into the camera. She put her cup in the air. "To Sam not being here!"

"To Sam not being here!" everyone mimicked before chugging their cups. Carly fell off the table backwards into Freddie's arms, knocking the cup out of his hand. He didn't seem to mind as they began to devour each other's lips.

* * *

><p>"Oh. My. Gosh."<p>

"I'm so sorry!" the other girls said quickly. They patted Sam's head and shoulders to comfort her. Sam shook her head.

"I sacrificed so much to get her to this point," she murmured. "I hooked her up with my ex-boyfriend. I tried to help her find her voice. The second she walked through the front doors of Ridgeway, I was the first one singing about her!"

"She's not worth it," Lani said.

"She's not pretty or talented enough to outshine you," Jamie coaxed.

"We should stamp _her_ out," Ariana added. Sam stopped shaking her head and looked up at Ariana, a smile forming on her face.

"You're right, Ari," she said.

"I'm right?" Ariana quickly nodded in agreement. "I mean, of course I'm right!"

"And I know the right chick to help us out with this." Sam stood up and opened her door a bit, before shouting at the top of her lungs, "Melanie, get your ass in here!"

"Melanie?" the three asked in disgust.

"Why her?" Jamie asked.

"Because," Sam explained, "Melanie is the biggest bitch around. Who else to fight a bitch back with than her." Slowly, the girls nodded in agreement. Melanie appeared in the doorway and smiled at her sister.

"So," she said, "how bad do we want to ruin this chick?"


	16. What's Good For Principal Franklin

Mr. Franklin cleared his throat and waited patiently for the Seniors of Ridgeway High School to settle down. It had been five months, and he was happy yet sad that they were graduating this school year. Yes, it would be nice to have Samantha Puckett out of his hair, but then he wouldn't have to go around school hunting down the blonde nearly every day. And he hadn't seen a student smarter than Freddie Benson in his entire career at Ridgeway. Gibby Gibson was the spontaneous kid that kept everyone on their toes, but with college freshmen Tasha Ratajkowski across the country, he seemed extremely dull. However, thanks to Brad Prentice, he was now able to have events recorded at Ridgeway through the leader of the A/V club, ever since Freddie dropped out to spend more time with Carly Shay. He did notice that many random outbursts and arguments have taken place ever since she'd arrived, but he'd assumed that it was because Sam and Freddie had broken up right before she came into the picture.

"Welcome back for the last year at Ridgeway!" Mr. Franklin boomed into the microphone. The seniors began cheering. He waited for the commotion to die down. "And I would like to introduce our eight senior class officers this school year, led by president Samantha Puckett and her twin, the V.P., Melanie Puckett!" Most of the student body cheered; the rest watched as their ex-friends marched out on stage in two rows. In the front row was Sam, Lani, Ariana, and Jamie, naturally. Behind them were Melanie, Gibby, Patrice, and Pete. The last three were considered traitors for sticking by Sam's side after the blowout last year between Sam and Carly after the party at Jonah's. Now the group was Carly, Freddie, Wendy, Missy, Shane, Valerie, Jonah, and Shannon. They all crossed their arms and glared at their enemies. They weren't sure who was winning in this war, but for now, they were glad that it was just a standstill. Sam and Melanie waved as they took Mr. Franklin's place at the podium.

"We're _so_ glad that you chose us to lead the student body for our final year in high school!" Melanie said, placing a hand over her heart.

"We promise more fun, more events, and, most importantly, more shirtless Gibby!" Sam shouted. Everyone outside of the seven others stood up and cheered loudly. The two walked back into their previous spots and Mr. Franklin stood at the podium once again.

"Thanks to the student council, we have been able to plan many events to help raise money for the school," he continued. "And, plus, it might get me promoted to being the superintendent. What's good for Principal Franklin is what's good for Ridgeway, and by Dow Jones and all their little averages, don't you forget it! Right, ladies?" Sam, Lani, Ariana, and Jamie stepped forward.

_"Right!  
>Three rousing rahs and a few hussahs<br>And a hip-hip-hip hooray  
>What's good for Principal Franklin<br>Is good for our Ridgeway!"_

They saluted the audience and stepped back. Mr. Franklin nodded at them.

"First, we're going to have the girls perform at the mall by Build-A-Bra to raise money for those over seas fighting for our country."

"My dad!" Carly hissed to Freddie. "I should participate in that!"

"She's doing this to hit your weak spots," Freddie hissed back.

"With a guest performance from a special person chosen from this hat of names, picked by Patrice Kalek," Mr. Franklin added. Patrice walked over to Mr. Franklin and reached into the hat, digging around for a name.

"Five bucks they took out all of our names first," Shane muttered. Patrice pulled out a slip of paper and opened it up.

"Congratulations, Wesley Hooks!" she announced. Everyone clapped for him. He stood up and began making beatboxing sounds, until the people next to him hushed him. Patrice walked back over to her group.

"Her boobs big and squishy," Shannon told Jonah.

"And they're fake," Wendy informed Shannon. "Don't forget that important detail."

"We'll show those superintendents what's what!" Mr. Franklin shouted. "Right?" Now Melanie, Gibby, Patrice, and Pete stepped forward.

_"Right!  
>He makes the rules<br>And he intends to keep it thataway  
>What's good for Principal Franklin<br>Is good for our Ridgeway!"_

The group stepped back into their spot.

"And, above all, we're going to have our first ever Miss Ridgeway pageant!" Now all of the girls were cheering. "We're going to try to search for one of our students to be the emcee, but sign up sheets will be put out soon. And hopefully, everything will go as planned, right?" Now all eight stepped up.

_"Right!  
>He calls the shots<br>And he intends to keep it thataway  
>What's good for Principal Franklin<br>Is good for our Ridgeway!"_

"Now, head back to first period, and enjoy your senior year- and final year- at Ridgeway High School!"

"Why do I have a bad gut feeling about this school year?" Valerie asked the others.

"Because Sam's in charge of the school, and her twin sister," Jonah answered.

"This should be really fun," MIssy added sarcastically.


	17. Run And Tell That

"Oh, my gosh, where is Wesley?" Melanie screeched. "Mr. Franklin says that we can't start until he shows up, and it's already been two hours!"

"This is going to be a total disaster!" Patrice pouted. "Pete, do something!"

"I figured out who's behind it," he replied, pointing across the mall at Glitter Gloss. There, Wendy and Missy were laughing like there was no tomorrow. They high-fived each other and moved on one leg, moving their arms up and down like they were doing the chicken dance.

"What the...?" the group asked themselves.

"COOTIES!" Wendy and Missy cackled. Other people around the mall who knew them were laughing and joining in as well. Sam shook her head and felt tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Do NOT cry," Lani growled. "Those girls are nothing. They're not the class president."

"They have reputations for being lying sluts," Jamie added.

"They're not even pretty," Ariana chirped.

"None of that matters," Gibby said. "Tasha solved it all."

"You're girlfriend came back?"

"We're not exclusive."

"You guys!" Tasha cried as she ran up to her friends. She hugged all of them and jumped up and down. She kissed Gibby, but it took her a few moments before she decided to pull away from him.

"Did you solve our little... dilemma?" Sam asked nervously. "My entire reputation is on the line because of this."

"I found Wesley, and grabbed a few people from my neighborhood to help," Tasha said, grinning as she turned to the four African-American kids behind her, one of which had a guitar. "From left to right, they're Kevin Colt, Emily Franklin, and Harper Thomas. Of course, you guys know who Wesley Hooks is."

"We already figured that you'd want us out of here," Wesley admitted. "After all, we were told that this was a white-only event."

"A white-only event from a principal with the same color skin as you?" Lani scoffed. "That's absurd! Who told you, anyway?"

"Who cares?" Melanie interrupted. "This is nearly ruined because of those assholes!"

"I just thought that you were all racist," Kevin admitted.

"How could you think that?" Pete asked. The four others exchanged looks and shrugged. Wesley looked around and stepped up towards Wendy and Missy. Harper began playing his guitar, grinning and laughing as he did.

_"I can't see  
>Why people look at me<br>And only see the color of my face_

_And then there's those  
>That try to help, god knows<br>But have to always put me in my place."_

Kevin switched places with Wesley, doing the moonwalk as he did.

_"Now I won't ask you to be color blind  
>'Cause if you pick the fruit<br>Then girl, you're sure to find_

_The blacker the berry  
>The sweeter the juice<br>I could say it ain't so  
>But darlin', what's the use?<em>

_The darker the chocolate  
>The richer the taste<br>And there's where it's at  
>Now run and tell that!"<em>

The others jumped up and joined in.

_"Run and tell that!"_

_"Run and tell that!"_

_"Run and tell that!"_

Now Harper stepped up, grinning and winking at Wendy and Missy. The two girls made faces at him. He began moving up and down to the sides, still strumming the chords on his guitar.

_"I can't see  
>Why people disagree<br>Each time I tell what I know is true_

_And if you come  
>And see the world I'm from<br>I bet your heart is gonna feel it too_

_Yeah, I could lie  
>But baby, let's be bold<br>Vanillajian be nice  
>But if the truth be told..."<em>

Now everyone joined in, jumping around and dancing with each other. People around pulled out their PearPhones and began recording. Wendy and Missy stared angrily.

_"The blacker the berry  
>The sweeter the juice<br>I could say it ain't so  
>But darlin', what's the use?<em>

_The darker the chocolate  
>The richer the taste<br>That's where it's at  
>Now, baby, run and tell that!<em>

_Run and tell that!"_

"You're Samantha Puckett!" Emily cried. "I'm Mr. Franklin's daughter. He says that you're always causing trouble."

"More or less," Sam admitted.

"I can't wait until the day I can go to Ridgeway and not be put down anymore," Emily said, smiling.

"You tell them, girl!" Kevin laughed.

"Show 'em what you got!" Harper said. Emily did a cartwheel towards Harper and began to dance, not caring how others reacted.

_"I'm tired of covering up all of my pride!"_

Everyone behind her began high-fiving each other.

_"So give me five on the black-hand side!"_

Emily gave random people thumbs-ups.

_"I've got a new way of movin'  
>And I got my own voice!"<em>

The others began skipping around.

_"So how can I help  
>But to shout and rejoice."<em>

Everyone sang a soft "ooh" while Emily took the floor, Harper still going on his guitar.

_"The people around here  
>Can barely pay their rent<br>They 'try to make a dollar  
>Out of fifteen cents'<br>But we got a spirit  
>Money just can't buy<br>It's as deep as a river  
>And soars to the sky!"<em>

Emily moved back and Kevin and Wesley stepped up next to her, the others joining them in the background.

_"I can't see  
>The reason it can't be<br>The kind of world where we all get our chance_

_The time is now  
>And we'll show them how<br>To turn up the music and let's all dance_

_'Cause all things are equal  
>When it comes to love<br>Well, that ain't quite true  
>'Cause when push comes to shove<em>

_The blacker the berry  
>The sweeter the juice<br>I could say it ain't so  
>But darlin', what's the use?<em>

_Darker the chocolate  
>Richer the taste<br>That's where it's at  
>Now run and tell that!<em>

_Run and tell that!_

_Run and tell that!"_

People cheered and began uploading videos to Splashface. Strangers filled up the coin jars with dollar bills quickly. The group nodded at their success. Wendy and Missy shook their heads from outside of Glitter Gloss.

"We're going to have to try harder next time," Missy said.

"That's an understatement," Wendy agreed.


	18. Carly & Good Morning Baltimore

_**(A/N: I know that there is a song from chapter five called "Carly". That song was a parody of "Sandy" from Grease, and this song is a parody of "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast. Also, we get to finally figure out where good ol' Tasha's been since her graduation!)**_

* * *

><p>Carly brushed her hair to the side of her head. Spencer slept over his friend Socko's house last night, so she was responsible for getting herself to school this morning. Wendy said that she already had to go out of her way to pick up Jonah and Valerie on the other side of town. Missy walked every day with Shane. Freddie's mom was dropping him off, and his mom wasn't a huge fan of Carly. Shannon took the bus, which the group would tease her for constantly. Carly didn't really mind though. She only had an eight block walk to school anyway. She waltzed down the stairs and pressed the elevator down button. It dinged as it opened and she stood inside patiently as it lurched on to the bottom floor. Once it reached the lobby she walked out and headed for the front door.<p>

_"Giant town  
>An insanely busy city<br>Every day  
>Like the one before<br>Giant town  
>Full of little people<br>Waking up to say-"_

"Get out!" Lewbert screeched, startling Carly. She jumped and screamed.

"Ugh, it's you!" Miss Benson gagged.

"You should leave," Freddie warned.

"I'm calling the cops on you!" Lewbert yelled.

"Don't touch my Fredward!" Miss Benson added as Carly ran out of the building and the first block towards school. She stopped at the second block and smoothed down her blue and white dress. She began walking much more calmly now as the local baker carried pastries in and out of his shop.

_"There goes the baker with his tray, like always  
>The same old bread and rolls to sell<br>Every morning just the same  
>Since the morning that we came<br>To this rich bustling town-"_

"Hello, Carly!" the baker greeted.

"Morning, sir!"

"And where are you heading off to today?"

"School. I'm graduating this year, and I just want to make the most out of my senior-"

"That's nice," he cut her off. "Marie! The baguettes! Hurry up!" A school bus passed by Carly. The group of kids on the back of it were hooting and hollering at her.

_"Look there she goes that girl is strange, no question  
>Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?"<em>

Wesley stood up in his seat and poked on the kid sitting in front of him.

_"Never part of any crowd."_

Harper stood up as well.

_"'Cause her head's up on some cloud."_

Everyone began laughing.

_"No denying she's a funny girl, Carly."_

As Carly walked down the street, she heard other civilians having their daily conversations with others.

_"Hello!"  
>"Good day!"<br>"How is your family?"_

_"Hello!"  
>"Good day!"<br>"How is your wife?"_

_"I costs six hundred!"  
>"That's too expensive!"<em>

Carly sighed at the word that floated into her ears.

_"There must be more than this provincial life!"_

The people looked up at Carly, shaking their heads at the girl.

_"Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar  
>I wonder if she's feeling well<br>With a dreamy, far-off look  
>And her nose stuck in a book<br>What a puzzle to the rest of us is Carly."_

Jamie, Ariana, and Lani were on their way to school. Lani was in the backseat, listening to her PearPod and finishing last-minute homework for Miss Briggs. Ariana and Jamie noticed Carly though. Jamie sighed dreamily and leaned against the front passenger door.

_"Now it's no wonder that he name means 'Beauty'  
>Her looks have got no parallel."<em>

Ariana glanced back and tried to focus on driving to school.

_"But behind that fair fac__ ade  
>I'm afraid she's rather odd."<em>

The two friends exchanged a look and sighed.

_"Very different from the rest of us  
>She's nothing like the rest of us<br>Yes, different from the rest of us is Carly!"_

Ariana pulled into the front parking spot reserved for the class officers in the front of the building. The three girls looked back to see Freddie getting dropped off by his mom.

"Why don't you date a class officer girl your new girlfriend?" Miss Benson asked. "You know how delightful that'd be?"

"They're all ganks!" Freddie snapped.

"Freddie!"

"Carly's the best!"

"How do you know?"

_"Right from the moment that I met her, saw her  
>I said she's gorgeous and I fell<br>Here in this town there's only she  
>Who's more beautiful than me<br>So I'm making plans to woo and marry her!"_

"And be related to that crazy brother of hers?" Miss Benson asked. She shook her head. "See you when you get home, Freddie." She drove away, disappointed in her son's decisions. Ariana, Jamie, and Lani stared at Freddie dreamily from Ariana's car.

_"Look there he goes  
>Isn't he dreamy?<br>Freddie Benson  
>Oh, he's so cute!<br>Be still my heart  
>I'm hardly breathing!<br>He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!"_

Carly sighed as she prepared to walk through the front doors of Ridgeway.

_"There must be more than this provincial life!"_

Freddie stood up on the top of Brad's car as the other guys continued teasing him about Carly.

_"Just watch, I'm going to make Carly my wife!"_

Everyone watched from their lockers or the stairs as Carly walked in and went to her locker, not even noticing the others at all.

_"Look there she goes  
>The girl is strange but speical<br>A most peculiar mad'moiselle!  
>It's a pity and a sin<br>She doesn't quite fit in  
>'Cause she really is a funny girl<br>A beauty but a funny girl  
>She really is a funny girl<br>That Carly!"_

Carly made a weird face and turned, thinking that she heard her name. Instead, the students flooded the halls as usual, trying to maneuver their way around the massive mobs to reach their homeroom classes on time. Carly shut her locker and skipped on towards Mr. Howard's class.

* * *

><p>Tasha opened the blinds to her Baltimore apartment, inhaling the smoggy air the greeted her every morning. The streets below were a constant traffic jam, with hundreds of cars bumper-to-bumper blaring their annoying carhorns like it would solve any of their problems. Tasha got ready for class and grabbed a shiny Red Delicious apple off of the counter that she'd bought yesterday afternoon. Sure, she missed Gibby, and they were no longer 'exclusive', but Baltimore was her chance to make herself known; a new town where no drama chained her to the concrete sidewalk. Tasha walked out the front door and walked cheerfully to her college, the University of Baltimore.<p>

_"Oh, oh, oh  
>Woke up today<br>Feeling the way I always do  
>Oh, oh, oh<br>Hungry for something  
>That I can't eat<br>Then I hear that beat  
>The rhythm of town<br>Starts calling me down  
>It's like a message from<br>High above  
>Oh, oh, oh<br>Pulling me out  
>To the smiles and the<br>Streets that I love_

_Good morning Baltimore_  
><em>Every day's like an open door<em>  
><em>Every night is a fantasy<em>  
><em>Every sound's like a symphony<em>

_Good morning Baltimore_  
><em>And some day when I take to the floor<em>  
><em>The world's gonna wake up and see<em>  
><em>Baltimore and me<em>

_Oh, oh, oh_  
><em>Look at my hair<em>  
><em>What 'do' can compare with mine today?<em>  
><em>Oh, oh, oh,<em>  
><em>I've got my hairspray and radio<em>  
><em>I'm ready to go<em>

_The rats on the street_  
><em>All dance round my feet<em>  
><em>They seem to say<em>  
><em>'Tasha, it's up to you'<em>  
><em>So, oh, oh<em>  
><em>Don't hold me back<em>  
><em>'Cause today all my dreams will come true<em>

_Good morning Baltimore_  
><em>There's the flasher who lives next door<em>  
><em>There's the bum on his bar room stool<em>  
><em>They wish me luck on my way to school<em>

_Good morning Baltimore_  
><em>And some day when I take to the floor<em>  
><em>The world's gonna wake up and see<em>  
><em>Baltimore and me<em>

_I know every step_  
><em>I know every song<em>  
><em>I know there's a place where i belong<em>  
><em>I see all those party lights shining ahead<em>  
><em>So someone invite me<em>  
><em>Before I drop dead!<em>

_Before she drops dead!_

_So, Oh, Oh_  
><em>Give me a chance<em>  
><em>'Cause when I start to dance i'm a movie star<em>  
><em>Oh, oh, oh<em>  
><em>Something inside of me makes me move<em>  
><em>When I hear the groove<em>

_My ma tells me no_  
><em>But my feet tell me go!<em>  
><em>It's like a drummer inside my heart<em>  
><em>Oh, oh, oh<em>  
><em>Don't make me wait<em>  
><em>One more moment for my life to start...<em>

_Good morning, good morning_  
><em>Waiting for my life to start<em>

_I love you Baltimore_  
><em>Every day's like an open door<em>  
><em>Every night is a fantasy<em>  
><em>Every sound's like a symphony<em>

_And I promise Baltimore_  
><em>That some day when<em>  
><em>I take to the floor<em>  
><em>The world's gonna wake up and see<em>  
><em>Gonna wake up and see<em>  
><em>Baltimore and me...<em>

_Yes, more or less we all agree_  
><em>Baltimore and me...<em>  
><em>Someday the world<em>  
><em>Is gonna see<em>

_Baltimore and me!"_

The bell rang as Tasha sat down in her Ethnics class. The boy next to her leaned over.

"Are you taken?" he whispered seductively into her ear. She bit her lip.

"Not as far as you're concerned," she answered. She thought for a minute before added, "I don't think _he_ needs to find out anytime soon though."


	19. Extraordinary Girl

"He said WHAT?" Carly shouted. She stormed down the stairs and right over to Freddie and Shane. Wendy, Valerie, and Shannon knew better than do be nearby, so they walked to Miss Briggs' class as quickly as they could. Carly grabbed Freddie's polo and slammed him into her locker. He hollered in pain and held his head.

"What the hell?" he winced.

"You want to MARRY ME!" Carly screamed as loud as she could. Everyone looked over at the supreme couple of the school, surprised at them fighting.

"Well, I may have said something involving the word 'marry' in a conversation with the guys, and the name 'Carly' could have also possibly been spoken at one point or another..." Freddie looked at Shane, his eyes begging for back-up. Shane put his hands up and walked away quickly. Freddie was trapped between a locker and his girlfriend.

"If you think that I'm here for you to have a proposal to, then you are sadly mistaken," Carly warned. "And frankly, I'm pretty sure that's all you want out of me."

"So what are you saying?" Freddie gulped, fearing what words would come next.

"We're done! O-VER!" Carly shoved him back into the lockers and stormed away. The bell rang, and the halls began to clear.

"Oh yeah?" Freddie called out after her. "Well, good luck with... being a good girlfriend again!" He sighed. "Yeah, she's gonna have a new boyfriend soon."

"Dude, why did Carly punch Shannon in the gut and throw a temper tantrum?" Brad asked as he approached his friend. "You need to put a leash on your girl."

"She's not my girl anymore," Freddie muttered. "We're done. Someone told her that I was planning on marrying her."

"Five bucks says Wendy heard and ratted you out."

"Oh please, like that's not obvious. How could this happen?"

"This happened because she changed us, man." Brad leaned back against the locker next to Freddie.

"I've been through every senior in this school," he groaned. "I can't take the bachelor life!"

"Uh, there's some that you missed," Brad pointed out, craning his neck to look around the corner. Freddie looked too as Lani and Ariana walked slowly towards their next class. They pretended not to notice the looks the boys were giving them. They quietly giggled as the guys let out a low whistle.

"I definitely did miss some girls," Freddie said.

"Me too," Brad added.

* * *

><p>"They were checking us out!" Ariana squeaked. "What wuold Sam say if she found out?"<p>

"Oh, let her!" Lani cried out.

"SH! They'll hear us!"

"I don't care anymore!" Lani jumped onto the landing and threw her bag onto the floor. "I want the fighting to stop! It's Carly and Sam's rivarly that's controlling our lives! If we could make up with Melanie Puckett, then they can too! We should want to date any guy, sing any song, dance any number, speak our minds-"

"But we aren't going to," Ariana interrupted.

"One day, I will!"

* * *

><p>"Freddie?" Brad asked.<p>

"Yeah?"

"What are you thinking about...?"

Freddie grinned and quickly glanced at Lani. He turned back and wriggled his eyebrows at Brad.

_"She's an extraordinary girl  
>In an ordinary world<br>And she can't seem to get away!"_

Lani's heart raced when she caught Freddie looking at her.

_"He lacks the courage in his mind  
>Like a child left behind<br>Like a pet left in the rain."_

Brad looked down the hall to see Sam watching. She gasped and ran away. He was going to tell Freddie, but decided against it.

_"She's all alone again  
>Wiping the tears from her eyes."<em>

Ariana saw Sam too. But Lani didn't.

_"Some days he feels like dying."_

_"She gets so sick of crying."_

Freddie was beyond estatic for no apparent reason, but Brad feared his friend's fate now that Sam was catching wind.

_"She sees the mirror of herself  
>An image she wants to sell<br>To anyone willing to buy."_

Sam gasped as she rushed into the girls' bathroom.

_"He steals the image in her kiss  
>From her heart's apocalypse<br>From the one called Whatsername."_

She felt pain as she sang 'Whatsername'. She remembered when she was known as Whatsername, and it wasn't pleasing.

Brad shook his head. Freddie was going to end up in deep trouble, he could feel it.

_"She's all alone again  
>Wiping the tears from her eyes."<em>

Lani and Ariana were still freaking out about having two guys checking them out.

_"Some days he feels like dying!"_

Freddie briefly thought of Carly.

_"She gets so sick of crying."_

"Freddie, this isn't going to be good for anyone," Brad warned. "You need to start clearing your head. Someone's going to get hurt."

"After last year, it's impossible for that to happen," Freddie said. Brad shook his head and walked away.

"Someone already did," he muttered.

Freddie, Ariana, and Lani were still happy-go-lucky.

_"She's all alone again  
>Wiping the tears from her eyes<br>Some days he feels like dying  
>Some days it's not worth trying<br>Now that they both are finding  
>She gets so sick of crying<em>

_She's an extraordinary girl  
>An extraordinary girl<br>An extraordinary girl  
>An extraordinary girl."<em>

* * *

><p>Brad saw Sam run into the girls' bathroom. Against his better judgement, he opened it to see if she was still in there. But when he opened the door, he saw that the room was dirty and empty, with the autumn leaves blowing through the wide open window.<p> 


	20. Kiss The Girl

"Sam, please open the front door!" Brad shouted up to Sam's bedroom window. The blonde slammed her window up and poked her head out. "I need to talk to you! I didn't know what that was about, but I know that you're hurt!"

"All of my friends fawn over Freddie as if he was an Emmy award, and eventually, they're all going to turn to his and Carly's side!" Sam snapped. "They're all going to desert me like you did! I have no friends anymore!" Brad sighed; convincing Sam anything was always a hassle.

"That's not true," he insisted. "I- I was drunk and confused when that happened. Listen, I'll do _anything_ to make up for what happened, I swear!"

"You want to help?" Brad nodded, and suddenly he caught a large duffle bag. Sam jumped out after it and landed on her feet with a large wad of cash in a bag in her hands. "Whoa, mama, where'd you get that kind of money?"

"I pawned eighteen of my mom's engagement rings," she said. "I need you to take me to the airport."

"Why?"

"Melanie already knows what's going on. I need to... visit my cousin Tanya in prison and see if this will bail her out. We're trying to get her on the right path, you know?"

"Sure, I'll help out." Brad led Sam to his car and the two headed off towards the airport.

* * *

><p>"Do you see this?" Gibby asked Jonah, Pete, and Shane. They watched their best friend stare at Lani Hilmeds from across the classroom. There was supposed to be a substitute teaching, but she left early for no reason.<p>

"He fell hard for her," Pete sighed.

"Well, _I_ think he's upgrading."

"Dude, this is all wrong," Shane said. "We're not even supposed to communicate with you two, and Freddie switching from Carly to anyone not in our cliques... it's not right."

"When you're in love, there isn't a difference between right or wrong," Jonah said. "Look at how Valerie and I are. We're like peaches and cream."

"He just needs to be less shy," Gibby said. "You need to create the mood."

"Oh, you mean like candle light and champagne?" Shane asked.

"Nonsense! It don't take all that! Everything we need is right here!"

Jonah used two pencils to tap on the desktop. "Percussion."

Pete plucked onn the strings of the ukulele he liked to carry around. "Strings."

Shane whistled, but paused to say, "Winds!"

Gibby grinned. "And words."

_"There, you see her  
>Sitting there across the way."<em>

The four boys exchanged a look and nodded at Freddie, who was lost in thought with Lani.

_"She don't got a lot to say."_

Gibby shrugged.

_"But there's something about her  
>And you don't know why<br>But you're dying to try."_

The boys snickered.

_"You wanna kiss the girl  
>Yes, you wanna<br>Look at her, you know you do."_

Freddie turned around. "Sh! I know what you're doing, and what if she hears you?"

"Oh, so you admit it?" Shane teased, wriggling his eyebrows.

"Carly and Wendy are right across the room!" the boy hissed. Gibby stood up and put his arm around Freddie.

_"Possible she want you too  
>There is one way to ask her<br>It don't take a word  
>Go on and kiss the girl."<em>

"Are you nuts?" Freddie shrieked quietly.

"Sing with me now!" GIbby ordered. The boys all stood up.

_"Sha la la la la la, my oh my  
>Look like the boy too shy<br>Ain't gonna kiss the girl  
>Sha la la la la la, ain't that sad<br>Ain't it a shame, too bad  
>He gonna miss the girl!"<em>

Freddie slunk in his seat as his half of the room glanced over at the boys.

_"Now's your moment  
>Floating in a blue lagoon<br>Boy, you better do it soon  
>No time will be better<br>She don't say a word  
>And she won't say a word<br>Until you kiss the girl."_

"Carly, I think they're singing about you!" Wendy whispered excitedly.

"They should," Carly said. "Freddie should want me, but not to marry me before either of us turn eighteen!"

"Maybe now he's coming to his senses."

Freddie turned bright red as Lani and Jamie giggled at him. The boys didn't take notice, or seem to care.

_"Sha la la la la la, don't be scared  
>You got the mood prepared<br>Go on and kiss the girl  
>Sha la la la la la, don't stop now<br>Don't try to hide it how  
>You want to kiss the girl<em>

_Sha la la la la la, float along  
>And listen to the song<br>The song say kiss the girl-"_

The bell rang, interrupting the song. Nearly everyone rushed out of the room. Freddie sat up in his chair once Lani left. He was about to go after her until Carly blocked the doorway.

"So, someone wants to do some kissing, huh?" she teased, puckering her lips. Freddie shoved her aside and ran past her.

"Run, Forrest," Gibby said proudly. "Run for Jenny."

* * *

><p>"Thanks, Brad," Sam said as Brad dropped her off at the airport. "I really appreciate this."<p>

"Anything for an old friend," he said. She smiled and waved as she exited the car and went into the airport. He pulled out his PearPhone and called Melanie.

"What?" she answered after two rings.

"Just letting you know, I dropped off your sister at the airport," he replied. "Tanya should be home within a few days."

"Tanya is on parole," Melanie said. "You drove Sam to the airport? She said that she pawned Mom's rings for cash so she could run away and live with Tasha on the East Coast! What were you thinking?"

"I should've known she lied!" Brad growled. "I'll show up to your house later; right now, I'm going to stop that plane!" He got out of his car, not caring that he parked it right in front in a 'NO PARKING' zone, and ran into the airport. He looked up at the monitor to read that the next flight to Baltimore was leaving in five minutes from Gate 8. He ran as fast as he could, and it seemed as if all eyes were on him. He wanted to change Sam's mind, to show her that she was making a huge mistake. Everyone seemed to sing;

_"Sha la la la la la, the music play  
>Do what the music say<br>Go on and kiss the girl  
>Go on and kiss the girl<br>Go on and kiss the girl  
>You gotta to kiss the girl<br>Go on and kiss the girl_

_Oh, go on and  
>Kiss the girl!"<em>

"NO!" Brad shouted as he reached the closed gate. He looked outside the large windows to watch the flight to Baltimore leave. He knew that Sam was on that flight. He leaned back against the glass and slid onto the floor.

Sam was gone.


	21. Jesus of Suburbia

_**(A/N: I finally found a chapter for one of the longest songs I know, so here's Jesus of Suburbia!)**_

* * *

><p>"Freddie, this is wrong!" Shane insisted. "You can't keep on switching teams like this!"<p>

"You make it sound like I'm a bisexual," Freddie pointed out.

"Well, you can't love Lani! It's against all we stand for!"

"What do we stand for?"

"We stand against Sam and her disciples."

"Who made Sam Holier Than Thou?" Freddie demanded. He stopped and glared at his friend. "She isn't our ruler! We can do whatever the hell we want!"

"Who do you think you are?" Shane asked.

_"I'm the son of rage and love  
>The Jesus of Suburbia<br>From the bible of none of the above  
>On a steady diet of<br>Soda pop and Ritalin  
>No one ever died for my sins in hell<br>As far as I can tell  
>At least the ones I got away with<em>

_And there's nothing wrong with me  
>This is how I'm supposed to be<br>In a land of make believe  
>And don't believe in me!"<em>

"Look, it's nice that you think so, but that's not how things work around here anymore, Freddie," Shane said. "You're with Jesus and Judas, and right now, I'm not sure who's who. I thought Sam was Judas, but maybe Carly's trying to trick us! Everything was so much better before she came along, remember?"

"I think it's better now," Fredde insisted.

_"Get my television fixed  
>Sitting on my crucifix<br>The living room or my private womb  
>While the Moms and Brads are away<br>To fall in love and fall in debt  
>To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane<br>To keep me insane  
>Doing someone else's cocaine<em>

_And there's nothing wrong with me  
>This is how I'm supposed to be<br>In a land of make believe  
>And don't believe in me!"<em>

"So are with Jesus or Judas?" Shane asked.

"You don't understand- _I'm_ Jesus."

* * *

><p>Brad pulled into the 7-Eleven parking lot. He knew that Melanie was here visiting her mom at work- surprisingly, Pam Puckett was capable of getting a job, even if it was at a skeevy 7-Eleven- and waiting for her to leave it with her lunch. He wasn't going to be able to handle her after she discovers her sister's disappearance, and everyone else's reaction would be even worse. Her mother wouldn't care, but now that Sam and Melanie were on better terms, nothing good could possibly come out of any of this. He kicked a small pebble across the parking lot. It was the same parking lot he and Sam would hang out in all of the time, where the two first met a while back.<p>

_"At the center of the Earth  
>In the parking lot<br>Of the 7-Eleven where I was taught  
>The motto was just a lie<br>It says home is where you're heart is  
>But what a shame<br>'Cause everyone's heart  
>Doesn't beat the same<br>It's beating out of time_

_City of the dead  
>At the end of another lost highway<br>Signs misleading to nowhere  
>City of the damned<br>Lost children with dirty faces today  
>No one really seems to care<em>

_I read the graffiti  
>In the bathroom stall<br>Like the holy scriptures of the shopping mall  
>And so it seemed to confess<br>It didn't say much  
>But it only confirmed<br>That the center of the Earth is the end of the world  
>And I could really care less<em>

_City of the dead  
>At the end of another lost highway<br>Signs misleading to nowhere  
>City of the damned<br>Lost children with dirty faces today  
>No one really seems to care."<em>

Melanie came out and stared at Brad. "Did you get her?" she asked quietly. He shook his head. She sighed and hugged him tightly. He hugged back, wishing that he could have been fast enough to catch Sam.

* * *

><p>Carly, Missy, Wendy, and Valerie sat outside, stewing about how Freddie treated Carly in class earlier.<p>

"You deserve better," Valerie said.

"He wasn't worth it all along," Missy added.

"You want me to spread a rumor that he has chlamydia?" Wendy offered, pulling out her phone.

"They'd think I gave it to him, and I don't really care anymore," Carly stated.

_"I don't care if you don't  
>I don't care if you don't<br>I don't care if you don't care!"_

Wendy nodded and put her phone away.

_"I don't care if you don't  
>I don't care if you don't<br>I don't care if you don't care!"_

Missy grinned.

_"I don't care if you don't  
>I don't care if you don't<br>I don't care if you don't care!"_

Now Valerie was agreeing with her friends.

_"I don't care if you don't  
>I don't care if you don't<br>I don't care if you don't care!"_

The girls all stood on the bench.

_"I don't care!  
>Everyone is so-<br>Everyone is so-  
>Everyone is so-<br>Everyone is so-"_

Valerie jumped off of the bench.

_"Everyone is so full of shit!  
>Born and raised by hypocrites!"<em>

Wendy leaped beside her.

_"Hearts recycled but never saved  
>From the cradle to the grave!"<em>

Now Missy was next to them.

_"We are the kids of war and peace  
>From Anehiem to the Middle East!"<em>

Carly joined them, singing with them.

_"We are the stories and disciples of  
>The Jesus of Suburbia!<br>Land of make believe  
>And that don't believe in me<br>Land of make believe  
>And it don't believe<br>And I don't care!"_

* * *

><p>Lani paced in the main hallway. She was given a note to meet someone here right before the final bell rang, and it was nearly five minutes beforehand. She feared that she was set up, but who would want to bother her, when there was Sam or Melanie to attack. Then again, who would go for the head powers when there were lesser powers to attack with more ease?<p>

_"Dearly beloved, are you listening?  
>I can't remember a word that you were saying<br>Are we demented or am I disturbed?  
>The space that's between insane and insecure<br>Oh therapy, can you please fill the void?  
>Am I retarded or am I just overjoyed?<br>Nobody's perfect and I stand accuse  
>For lack of a better word and that's my best excuse."<em>

* * *

><p>Sam walked through Baltimore with a bounce in her step, as if everything was alright. But she knew that nothing was. Tasha walked beside her with a large travel coffee mug in her hands. She took a long sip and exhaled with delight from the rich taste. They were on their way to help Sam find a way to get on her feet. But the guilt of leaving everyone behind was bearing down on her shoulders. She did it for the best, and was just trying to put one foot in front of the other right now.<p>

_"To live and not to breathe  
>Is to die in tragedy<br>To run, to run away  
>To find what you believe<em>

_And I leave behind  
>This hurricane of fucking lies<em>

_I lost my faith to this  
>This town that don't exist<br>So I run  
>I run away<br>To find what I believe_

_And I leave behind  
>This hurricane of fucking lies<br>And I walk this line  
>A million and one fucking times."<em>

"So you left everyone behind, and that's all there is to it?" Tasha asked as they crossed the street, narrowly dodging the terrible traffic. Sam sighed.

_"I won't feel any shame  
>I won't apologize<br>When there ain't nowhere you can go_

_Running away from pain  
>When you've been victimized<br>Tales from another broken home  
>(You're leaving?<br>You're leaving?  
>You're leaving<br>Are you leaving home?)"_

"This is the place," Tasha announced. She put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are you ready for this?"

"More ready than I have ever been for anything in my entire life," Sam answered. She opened the doors and stepped inside, ready to take the next big step in her life.

* * *

><p>"Lani?" Freddie asked. "You really came?"<p>

"It was you?" Lani blushed. "I didn't expect you to come here. I thought it'd be Gibby or someone."

"Well, I needed to talk to you about-"

"Freddie! Lani!" Brad and Melanie shouted as they burst through the front doors of Ridgeway.

"What?" the two snapped back.

"It's Sam! She's gone!"


	22. Nicest Kids in Town Reprise

The Groovy Smoothie that afternoon was very tense. At one table, Melanie, Lani, Jamie, and Ariana mourned the disappearance of their friend to the other side of the country. Carly, Wendy, Valerie, Missy, and Shannon sat at another table, half-celebratory over Sam's absence, half-depressed that Carly and Freddie were no longer a couple. Freddie, Brad, Shane, and Jonah sat at a third table, pretending that they weren't friends with Gibby, Pete, and Patrice, who were all at the table nearby. Harper, Wesley, Emily, and Kevin were tapping Welsey's drum sticks against the table whiile rapping and dancing, trying to make the best of a bad situation.

"Hey, everybody, listen up!" T-Bo announced to the entire Groovy Smoothie. "Tasha just texted me to turn on the TV to channel eight!" He grabbed the remote and turned on the television and began channel surfing.

"Is that Many Talent Network?" Shannon asked Missy, tugging on her sleeve.

"It's the channel that's going to feature a show about me one day," Carly stated matter-of-factly. T-Bo found the channel and turned up the volume as _The Corny Collins_ _Show _ began playing.

"Oh, I love this show!" Ariana cried. "My cousin Cat stars in it!"

"What's it about?" Melanie asked.

"It's a bunch of singing-and-dancing kids from Baltimore. They're pretty strict and racist and stuff, but they do have one black guy that's a regular!"

"That's just wrong!" Wesley snapped. "They're so racist! Everyday is Negro day, you-"

"Sh!" everyone else shushed him as the opening montage continued.

_"R-r-r-roll call!"_

The first girl had perfect curves, was of Puerto Rican descent, wore high heels, very short shorts, and a long tank top.

_"I'm Trina!"_

The next girl shoved her aside. She looked like the girl before, with high cheek bones and a much smaller figure.

_"Tori!"_

She ran aside and up came a boy with a curly afro and glasses.

_"Robbie!"_

The next girl had unnaturally red hair and was jumping up and down, laughing ridiculously.

_"Cat!"_

She hopped away for a boy with dark skin and a large smile.

_"Andrè!"_

Next was a gothic girl with green and blue streaks peeking out of her black hair, and an evil grin.

_"Jade."_

A boy with tan skin and fluffy hair came up beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

_"Beck!"_

They exchanged a quick kiss before pulling apart to reveal Tasha behind them.

_"Tasha!"_

"That's where she went!" all of the restaurant shouted. They all froze when the last girl ran up towards the camera, dancing in a circle like it was nobody's business.

_"And I'm... SAM!"_

Everyone screamed in shock. Sam was on national television? She backed away for Corny Collins to take center stage again, the others dancing behind him.

_"So, if every night you're shaking  
>As you lie in bed-"<em>

_"Mony-mony  
>Ooh, mony-mony!"<em>

_"And the bass and drums  
>Are pounding in your head-"<em>

_"Mony-mony,  
>Ooh, mony-mony."<em>

_"Who cares about sleep  
>When you can snooze in school?<br>They'll never get to college  
>But they'll sure look good<br>Don't need a cap and gown  
>'Cause they're the nicest kids in town!<em>

_They're the nicest, nicest  
>They're the nicest, nicest<br>They're the sugar 'n' spices  
>The nicest kids in...<em>

_Kids in town!"_

Everyone gathered in a huddle around corny, hugging each other. Corny grabbed Sam's arm and pulled her up beside him. "Now, tell everyone out there who you are," he said.

"My name is Sam, and I'm the newest- and first- council member from Seattle!"

"That's right, folks, you heard her right! Tell us, Tori!" Corny handed off the microphone to Tori, who grinned.

"We're relocating _The Corny Collins Show_ to Seattle, and holding auditions this Saturday for any hip teens in the area who want to sing and dance along side us-"

"_And_ for the chance to run for Miss Teenage Hairspray!" Trina shouted into the microphone.

"I was supposed to say that," Tori snapped.

"Well, I said it better!" Corny snatched the microphone back up before the sisters said anything else into the microphone.

"We're allowing anyone of any race to dance with us, so please come on out and get your groove on!"

T-Bo turned off the television and went into the back of the restaurant. The teenagers all exchanged looks before running out of the Groovy Smoothie to go work on their audition pieces for _The Corny Collins Show_.


	23. La Vie Boheme A

_**(A/N: I was going to do just the one song, but then I realized that you cannot do just La Vie Boheme A or B or I Should Tell You without the other two. Therefore, over the span of three chapters, I'll give you all three together. They're going to be based all on the same scene for all three.)**_

"Everyone, listen up!" Carly shouted. She had gathered a meeting between all of those who were friends during their junior year of high school. She scanned her eyes across to count everyone there- Freddie, Shane, Jonah, Gibby, Pete, Patricia, Melanie, Brad, Lani, Ariana, Jamie, Shannon, Missy, Wendy, and Valerie. Fifteen people, the exact fifteen she wanted to call together. Sure, Freddie didn't want a single thing to do with her, and her ex-best friend Sam was on TV, but it would be fine. And Sam being on TV was exactly why they were here now. The table quietted down and looked at the brunette with matching bored and annoyed expressions.

"Why?" Patricia asked. "You hate half of the people here!"

"Why should I though?" Carly retorted. "We were all friends until that one drunk party at Jonah's house. We all don't need to be enemies. Remember the good times?" The group thought of it, and remembered way back when everyone didn't hate each other.

"I'm so sorry!" Valerie cried as she hugged Patricia. Everyone began hugging and apologizing for ceasing their friendships. Suddenly, they could hear the familiar shout of Samantha Puckett. They looked over to see her with Tasha and the rest of the cast of _The Corny Collins Show_. One of the waiters, Marty, was trying to take their orders, but the group was being ridiculous. They watched one of them, Robbie, stand up facing the Ridgeway kids' table and pretending to be a priest.

_"Dearly beloved, we gather here  
>To say our goodbyes."<em>

Behind Robbie, Tori and Trina began reciting the mourner's kaddish. Robbie fell backwards and the group moved him across the table and lifted him onto his feet in the middle of their conjoined tables.

_"Here she lies  
>No one knew her worth<br>__The late great daughter of mother earth  
>On this night when we celebrate the birth<br>In that little town of Bethlehem  
>We raise our glass - you bet your ass to-"<em>

They watched in horror as Sam stood on the table and mooned the group unknowingly. She covered up again and wrapped herself around Robbie.

_"La vie Boheme!"_

The rest of _The Corny Collins Show_ dancers stood up and began chanting and dancing in a circle.__

_"La vie Boheme  
>La vie Boheme<br>La vie Boheme  
>La vie Boheme."<em>

Sam jumped back down while Robbie kept on standing on top of the table.

_"To days of inspiration  
>Playing hookie, making something out of nothing<br>The need to express  
>To communicate,<br>To going against the grain,  
>Going insane<br>Going mad_

_To loving tension, no pension  
>To more than one dimension,<br>To starving for attention,  
>Hating convention, hating pretension<br>Not to mention of course,  
>Hating dear old mom and dad<em>

_To riding your bike,  
>Midday past the three piece suits<br>To fruits- to no absolutes  
>To Absolute- to choice<br>To the Village Voice  
>To any passing fad<br>To being an us for once  
>Instead of a them-"<em>

_"La vie Boheme  
>La vie Boheme!"<em>

Beck smacked Jade's rear and kissed her.

"Ahem," Brad said as he cleared his throat. Beck looked over and grinned.__

"Hey mister- she's my sister," he said. Jade laughed. Marty came back and held up his tab booklet.__

_"So that's one miso soup, two seaweed salad  
>Three soy burger dinner, two tofu dog platter<br>And one pasta with meatless balls!"_

"Ugh!" Tori said at the last part.  
><em><br>_"It tastes the same," Trina said.__

"If you close your eyes!" Tasha cracked. Marty nodded.__

_"And nine orders of french fries  
>Is that it here?"<em>

"Wine and beer!" the dancers shouted. Marty wrote it down and rushed away. Cat and Beck got up on the table and began dancing.__

_"To hand-crafted beers made in local breweries  
>To yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese<br>To leather, to dildos, to curry vindaloo  
>To huevos rancheros and Maya Angelou!"<em>

Jade and Trina climbed onto the other side of the table and grinded against each other to get more attention. The Ridgeway group felt violated, as if they haven't done worse before.

_"Emotion, devotion, to causing a commotion  
>Creation, vacation-"<em>

Robbie jumped up between the two groups.

_"Mucho masturbation!"_

Everyone gasped. Jade and Trina shrugged and began doing dances from the show.

_"Compassion, to fashion, to passion when it's new!"_

Trina pointed to Cat.

_"To Sontag-"_

Cat pointed back.

_"-To Sondheim-"_

The others giggled.

_"To anything taboo!"_

Andrè and Beck jumped on the bar.

_"Ginsberg, Dylan, Cunningham and Cage."_

Beck kicked over a tray.

_"Lenny Bruce-"_

Then Andrè did too._  
>"-Langston Hughes-"<em>

Jade climbed onto one of the barstools.

_"-To the stage-"_

_"-To Uta-"_

_"-To Buddha-"_

_"-Pablo Neruda, too-"_

Tori and Cat ran around their table, skipping as if they were going down the yellow brick road.

_"Why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow  
>To blow off Auntie Em!"<em>

Everyone cheered.

_"La vie Boheme!"_

Beck and Jade exchanged another kiss- a much more passionate one this time. Marty made a face.

"Siblings?" he asked.

"We're close," Beck and Jade answered. To mess with everyone, Cat and Robbie kissed passionately.

Andrè, Beck, and Robbie thrust their fists into the air.

_"Brothers!"_

Sam and Tasha began dancing on a nearby pool table. The men who were about to set up a new game definitely didn't seem to mind.

"_Bisexuals, trisexuals, homo sapiens,  
>Carcinogens, hallucinogens, men, Pee Wee Herman<br>German wine, turpentine, Gertrude Stein  
>Antonioni, Bertolucci, Kurosawa<br>Carmina Burana!"_

Everyone ran back to their table.

_"To apathy, to entropy, to empathy, ecstasy  
>Vaclav Havel - The Sex Pistols, 8BC,<br>To no shame - never playing the Fame Game-"_

Sam stood up on her seat.

_"To marijuana!"_

Everyone from Ridgeway gasped. The others didn't seem to care much.

_"To sodomy,  
>It's between God and me<br>To S & M-"_

Carly tried to flag down Marty.

_"Waiter...Waiter...Waiter!"_

Everyone in the restaurant stood up.

_"La vie Boheme!"_

"In honor of the death of Bohemia an impromptu salon will commence immediately following dinner," Beck announced, "Jade West, back from her spectacular one-night engagement at the eleventh street lot, will sing native american tribal chants backwards through her vocoder,while accompanying herself on the electric cello- which she has never studied."

" And Beck Oliver will preview his new documentary about his inability to hold an erection on high holy days!" Tasha cried. Everyone laughed. Robbie picked up a guitar and began to tune it.

"And Samantha Puckett, clad only in bubble wrap, will perform her famous lawn chair-handcuff dance to the sounds of iced tea being stirred," Jade stated. Everyone hooted and hollered at the blonde.

Robbie will attempt to write a bittersweet, evocative song!" Cat giggled. Robbie began playing _Musetta's Theme_. "...That doesn't remind us of 'Musetta's Waltz'." Tori began a catwalk down the table.

"Miss Victoria Vega will now model the latest fall fashions from Paris while accompanying herself on the 10 gallon plastic pickle tub!" Trina cried.

"And Collins will recount his exploits as an anarchist," Trina said, "including the successful reprogramming of the M.I.T. virtual reality equipment to self-destruct, as it broadcast the words:"

"Actual reality - Act Up - Fight AIDS!" the group chanted.

"Check!" Carly shouted. Sam looked over and saw the group. She ran out the door. Freddie groaned and followed. Lani sighed.

"_Excuse me, did I do something wrong?  
>I get invited- then ignored- all night long!"<em>

Freddie caught up with Sam. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She stopped and gave him an unamused look.

_"I've been trying- I'm not lying  
>No one's perfect- I've got baggage-"<em>

Sam groaned. Not this game again.

_"Life's too short, babe, time is flying  
>I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine-"<em>

_"I should tell, you-"_

_"I've got baggage too-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

_"I got baggage, too-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

_"Baggage- wine and beer!"_

Both of their PearPhones started beeping.

"AZT break," Sam groaned. Both of them pulled out pills and swallowed them. The two glanced at each other with wide eyes. Freddie gulped.

_"You?"_

Sam nodded.

_"Me  
>You?"<em>

Freddie shook his head.

_"Sammy..."_


	24. I Should Tell You

The snow fell outside peacefully. Freddie and Sam were both still staring at each other in shock. They'd known each other for years, and neither had mentioned about the other having HIV. Who was the first one with it? Why hadn't the other confessed? Freddie grabbed Sam's hands and pressed them to his cold, shivering lips. She shuddered; both had left their jackets inside. Freddie did too, but had long sleeves on. He wrapped his arms around Sam and held her close.

_"I should tell you I'm disaster  
>I forget how to begin it."<em>

Sam smiled slightly, but not too much to look happy.

_"Let's just make this part go faster  
>I have yet to begin it<br>I should tell you-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

Sam pulled away from Freddie and held his hand, their fingers intertwining. They began to walk down the alley behind Pini's.

_"I should tell I blew out the candle  
>Just to get back in."<em>

Freddie smiled a genuine smile at that.

_"I'd forgotten how to smile  
>Until your candle burned my skin."<em>

_"I should tell you-"_

_"I should tell you-"_

_"I should tell you..."_

They stopped walking and put their other hands together. Their breaths could be seen in the frigid mid-January air.

_"I should tell..._

_Here we go  
>Now we-"<em>

Sam looked away.

_"Oh no."_

Freddie put his hand underneath the crook of her chin and turned her head back towards him.

_"I know  
>This something is<br>Here goes."_

_"Here goes."_

_"Guess so  
>It starts to-<br>Who knows-"_

_"Who knows-"_

The two held both of their hands again.

_"Who knows where  
>Who goes there<br>Who knows  
>Here goes<em>

_Trusting desire, starting to learn  
>Walking through fire without a burn<br>Clinging, a shoulder, a leap begins  
>Stinging and older, asleep on pins<em>

_So here we go  
>Now we..."<em>

Freddie dropped Sam's hands, scared of what would come next.

_"Oh no."_

Sam knew. She grabbed Freddie's right hand again.

_"I know."_

Freddie smiled again and took Sam's left hand in his.

_"Oh no."_

They embraced in another hug, mainly for warmth, but partly out of their feelings for the other.

_"Who knows where  
>Who goes there<em>

_Here goes  
>Here goes<br>Here goes  
>Here goes<br>Here goes  
>Here goes..."<em>

"My father had AIDS," Freddie admitted. "My mother was lucky enough to never get the virus, but I was born HIV positive. It's not AIDS yet, but... It's going to be one day."

"My mom has AIDS," Sam said much more sadly. "And... I'm past HIV. I've had AIDS since I was sixteen."

"Sammy..." Freddie squinted his eyes shut and tried to keep the tears trapped in his eyes. It was useless; the tears fell anyway. Sam wiped them away with her numbing hands.

"I know, baby," she said quietly, soothing him. "It's hard. I... I'm so sorry for everything." Freddie opened his eyes and gazed at the blonde. The two looked at each other's lips before slowly leaning in and putting them on each other's. No tongue, no biting- just a pure, innocent kiss of love. Sam pulled away first.

"What?" Freddie asked. It came out a little more rudely than he had intended.

"You're with Carly," Sam blurted. Her face turned redder from embarassment rather than freezing.

"Not anymore."

"We can't be a couple now. If we are, and you choose to audition for _The Corny Collins Show_, it'll look like a huge set-up," Sam hissed.

"So you're not allowed to be my girlfriend?" Freddie asked, crestfallen.

"Not until _after_ the auditions," Sam replied, smiling. She kissed his cheek and headed towards the door again. Freddie followed her, and then stopped and changed his mind before going around front. If they weren't allowed to be a couple now, he might as well avoid her until they could be.


	25. La Vie Boheme B

**_(A/N: My new Pen Name is "SaintWhatsername", in case you ask. If you couldn't tell already, I'm in love with Green Day and American Idiot.)_**

* * *

><p>Sam couldn't believe what had just happened between her and Freddie. After sixteen months of being broken up, they were going to get back together. At least, after the upcoming auditions to dance on <em>The Corny Collins Show<em>. She was neck-in-neck with all of the other girls, with the obvious exception of Trina, in the running for Miss Teenage Hairspray 2012. Not to mention that now she'd have to attend reattend Ridgeway now that she was back and explain the main reason why she ran in the first place- her AIDS. The other from _The Corny Collins Show_ had tutors, or, in Trina and Tasha's case, were transferring to University of Seattle this semester to continue their studies while on the show. Her Ridgeway friends gave her many scowls and glances as she past them, but the one that got her attention was Brad. He seemed hurt, and she knew why. But how could she apologize to her best friend of all time? As she looked to her fellow cast mates, she realized that it'd have to wait until the auditions.

"YEAH!" she cheered as she came back to her table. She thrusted her fist in the air and the others joined it.

"TO DANCE!" they shouted. Trina climbed onto the bar and danced across it- terribly.

_"No way to make a living  
>Masochism, pain, perfection,<br>Muscle spasms, chiropractors,  
>short careers, eating disorders!"<em>

"FILM!" Trina jumped off and was replaced with Beck.

_"Adventure, tedium,  
>No family, boring locations,<br>Dark rooms, perfect faces,  
>Egos, money, Hollywood and sleaze!"<em>

"MUSIC!" Now Andrè went across the bar, as if it was a runway for the gang.

_"Food of love, emotion,  
>mathematics, isolation,<br>Rhythm, feeling, power,  
>harmony, and heaving competition!"<em>

"ANARCHY!" Sam and Tasha got on top on either side and danced towards each other.

_"Revolution, justice,  
>Screaming for solutions<br>Forcing changes, risk and danger,  
>Making noise and making pleas!"<em>

Everyone stood up and began dancing in a circle around the table again.

_"To faggots, lezzies, dykes, cross dressers too!"_

"To me!"

"To me!"

"To me!"

Everyone began pointing at each other.

_"To you, and you, and you, you, and you  
>To people living with, living with, living with<br>Not dying from disease  
>Let he among us without sin<br>Be the first to condemn_

_La vie boheme  
>La vie boheme<br>La vie boheme..."_

Everyone stood up on the table. Robbie stood by himself, waving his arms around.

_"Anyone out of the mainstream?  
>Is anyone in the mainstream?<br>Is anyone alive- with a sex drive?  
>Tear down the wall- aren't we all?<br>The opposite of war isn't peace  
>It's creations!"<em>

"Woo!" everyone cheered.

_"La vie boheme-"_

Jade and Beck were making out in plain sight. Andrè and Tori were in an embrace. Cat and Trina were dancing together. Robbie was jamming out on his own, not caring at all. Sam and Tasha danced together as well before all nine of them began chanting and cheering again.

_"Viva la vie Boheme!"_

"Well," Carly sighed, "This was a fun night."


	26. The Legend of Miss Baltimore Crabs

The Ridgeway High School Seniors pranced into _The Corny Collins Show_ new studio. The leader, Velma Von Tussle, was going over new dances with the cast members. Some of them tried waving at Sam and Tasha, but the two were dancing robots like the others, not even blinking. Velma turned and stopped when she saw them. She snapped and the dancers stopped before they all proceeded to laugh at them. Among the group, their fearless leader, Carly Shay, was absent. Now everyone was nervous beyond belief.

"This should be good," Velma said sarcastically. "Are you ready?"

"Well, I brought my own '95s,' so if you put them on, I'll show you my stuff!" Lani exclaimed. A few dancers had to sit down with tears falling from their eyes.

"Haven't you already shown us enough?" Jade snickered.

"Let me show you the ropes," Velma said. "And, unfortunately, most of you will be done here."

_"Oh my god  
>How times have changed<br>This girl's either blind  
>Or completely deranged<br>Ah, but time seemed to halt  
>When I was 'Miss Baltimore Crabs'<em>

_Childhood dreams  
>For me were cracked<br>When that damn shirley temple  
>Stole my frickin' act<br>But the crown's in the vault  
>From when I won 'Miss Baltimore Crabs'<em>

_Those poor runner-ups  
>Might still hold some grudges<br>They padded their 'cups'  
>But i screwed the judges<br>Those broads thought they'd win  
>If a plate they would spin in their dance<br>Not a chance!_

_Cause I hit the stage  
>Batons ablaze<br>While belting high 'c's  
>And preparing souffles!<br>But that triple somersault  
>Was how I clinched 'Miss Baltimore Crabs'!"<em>

"Proceed," Velma instructed. Everyone spread apart and began dancing.

"Are you scared we're on live?" Cat asked.

"No, I'm sure I can cope," Lani said, shrugging.

"Well, this show isn't broadcast in cinemascope!" the girls announce. Velma laughed.__

_"I never drank one chocolate malt  
>No, no desserts for 'Miss Baltimore Crabs'!"<em>

"How many sweaters do you own?" Jade asked Missy.__

_"Well, I'm sure I've got plenty  
>Let's see, I have three...five?...<br>Wait, I have twenty!"_

Velma let out a loud guffaw. Missy turned as pink as her striped sweater.__

_"I would say 'oy gevalt'  
>If I wasn't 'Miss Baltimore Crabs'!<em>

_A tycoon I wed  
>So cuddly and funny<br>The old fart dropped dead  
>But left tons of money<br>So I bought this station  
>So all of the nation<br>Could see  
>All of this talent- and me!<em>

"Do you dance like you dress?" Sam asked the girls.__

"Sam, there's no need to be cruel!" Freddie said.__

"Would you swim in a over-chlorined pool?" Velma asked Ariana. The council members gasped.

"I sure would. I'm all for swimming exercises, it's The New Frontier!" Ariana chirped__

"Not in Baltimore it isn't!" Velma snapped. "And may I be frank?" She glared at all of the RIdgeway kids.  
><em><br>"First impressions can be tough  
>And when I saw you, I knew it<br>If your clothes weren't enough  
>Your last answer just blew it!<em>

_And so, my dears, so dumb and loud  
>You'll never be 'in'<br>So we're kicking you out!  
>You can't get past me kid<br>But it isn't your fault  
>It's hard to get rid of 'Miss Baltimore...<br>...Crabs'!"_

"You may go," she told them.

"Um... thank you?" Melanie said. The group headed towards the door. Suddenly, Carly burst through and up to the council members.

"Uh oh," everyone murmured.

"Hello Ma'am, may I please audition?" Carly asked. Everyone laughed.

"_No, but you can bow and exalt!  
>'Cause I was 'Miss Baltimore...<br>...Crabs'!  
>Crabs, Crabs!"<em>

The Ridgeway kids left. They all went home and refreshed the main page on _The Corny Collins Show_ webpage for hours on end. It was Wendy, who was awake at two in the morning, who found out who got in and who didn't. She immediately texted her friends seven names of the newest council members.

_Fredward Benson_

_Ariana Grantine_

_Patrice Kalek_

_Bradley Prentice_

_Jamie Spook_

_Wendy Springer_

_Jonah Young_


	27. Cooties Reprise & I'll Cover You

"I can't go back to school," Sam said as she stole a cigarette from Tasha. "Look how far I made it withouut showing up in two weeks."

"You need to graduate," Tasha said. "I did and look how far I've gotten. I'm going to be transferred from University of Maryland to University of Seattle. The others have enough credits that they are all ready to graduate now. You may want to reconsider going back to Ridgeway."

"Do you want to know why we're sitting outside of it instead of going inside?" Sam shouted. She tucked the cigarette inside her jean pocket. "Because everyone inside has been tested for HIV/AIDS because of me!"

"_And_ Freddie," Tasha added. "And that's another thing. You'll have Freddie to support you, and not just here, but on the show too. He'll be you rock."

"You just don't get it." The two girls went inside just as the bell rang. They tried to get to Principal Franklin's office but were stopped by Carly and the girls.

"Why, hello, Samantha," Carly said.

"You're lucky our tests are negative, you whore!" Wendy spat.

"You would've gotten AIDS from Freddie, not me," Sam countered.

"He probably got them from you in the first place!" Valerie cried.

"I don't need this!" Sam turned around to see Brad, Jonah, Shane, and Pete standing behind her.

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

Carly laughed.

_"Nobody wants to sit by her!"_

_"She's got cooties! (Cooties!)"_

_"Don't need a coat  
>'Cause she's got fur!<em>

_Circle, circle-"_

_"Dot dot dot!"_

_"Hurry, get your AIDS shot!"_

"Come on, Sam!" Tasha grabbed her friend's arm and ran out of the school with her. But the teens persued them. Carly was becoming drunk from her new power over Sam.

_"She's just as friendly as can be  
>She shows them cootie hospitality<br>She's like a living 'Twilight Zone'  
>Quick, get Rod Sterling on the phone!<em>

_Black, white, red, green  
>Every color in between<br>Dresses like a circus clown  
>Somebody ought to hose her down<br>Grew up in a cootie zoo  
>And I bet her two-ton mama's got them too!"<em>

Carly threw a rock at Sam. "And that's for you!"

* * *

><p>Freddie was able to take a sick day today. His mother's intense paranoia allowed him to get away with being able to pretend to be ill, although he understood why. They didn't know when the AIDS virus chapter of his life would commense, and he had to be safe about when it did. He was grateful that he was one of the new dancers on <em>The Corny Collins Show<em>, and that now he was able to get away from Carly, but there was still Wendy there, and with Sam already having been a dancer, the girls were bound to have a fight at one point or another. He stood up to retrieve a bottle of Pepi-Cola when there was a knock on his apartment door. He opened it to reveal Sam standing there. She was holding a tan jacket in her arms to purposely sport her new bruises and wounds from the rocks thrown at her.

"Sam!" He grabbed her and dragged her inside. He locked the door and sat her down on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to warm her up; Seattle wasn't exactly warm during February.

"I tried to show Tasha why I couldn't go back..." Sam shuddered. "It started with one. Then they kept on coming. Millions of rocks everywhere. They chased me for five blocks before I got away."

"Monsters," Freddie said.

"But they don't hate you," Sam continued. "It's because I'm a girl. They think that I'm a whore and that I gave you the virus. But it wasn't me."

"I'm here now," Freddie whispered. He wasn't surprised; everyone now attacked Sam whenever they could. She wasn't the tough girl she once used to be. She was weaker now. And he let this happen to her.

_"Live in my house  
>I'll be you're shelter<br>Just pay me back  
>With one thousand kisses<br>I'll cover you."_

Sam sniffled and let out a short laugh.

_"Open your door  
>I'll be your tenant<br>Don't got much baggage  
>To lay at your feet<br>But sweet kisses I've got to spare  
>I'll cover you."<em>

Freddie grabbed one of the many emergency first-aid kits his mother had stored in every room. He started using alcohol wipes and band-aids to patch up Sam.

_"I think they meant it  
>When they said you can't buy love<br>Now I know you can rent it  
>A new lease you are, my love<br>On life- be my life_

_Just slip me on  
>I'll be your blanket<br>Whenever, wherever, I'll be your coat."_

Sam winced as he tried cleaning one of the larger wounds, but smiled because he was helping her.

_"You'll be my king  
>And I'll be my castle."<em>

Freddie covered it and kissed it, smiling.

_"No, you'll be my queen  
>And I'll be your moat."<em>

Freddie stood her up and the pair began to dance.

_"I think they meant it  
>When they said you can't buy love<br>Now I know you can rent it  
>A new lease you are, my love<br>On life- be my life_

_I've longed to discover  
>Something as true as this is."<em>

_"So with a thousand sweet kisses  
>I'll cover you-"<em>

_"If you're cold and you're lonely-"_

_"With a thousand sweet kisses  
>I'll cover you-"<em>

_"You've got one nickle only  
>With a thousand sweet kisses<br>I'll cover you-"_

_"When you're worn out and tired-"_

_"With a thousand sweet kisses  
>I'll cover you-"<em>

_"When your heart has expired-"_

Freddie and Sam hugged each other and rocked back and forth while spinning in a small circle.

_"Oh, lover, I'll cover you  
>Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah<br>Oh, lover, I'll cover you."_

Freddie looked down as Sam looked up. They smiled and shared one small, sweet, passionate kiss.


	28. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!

This is just an author's note, I'm sorry! I'm taking a break from all of my other stories for a small amount of time because... I'm finishing iCarly: The Musical! However, I will try to make the most of it. Including the epilogue and this note, there's going to be thirty-nine chapters altogether. This note is pretty important for all of those who want to give their opinion, but **this is a spoiler chapter for every other chapter after this. If you don't want to know the upcoming songs until you actually read them, STOP NOW! **For those of you who are continuing to read and have ever seen _Hello, Dolly!_, then you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm going to take some of the songs from the entire story and do a mash-up like they did in the finale in the musical previously stated. I'm going to end up choosing 5-7 songs depending on who sang which song. **Warning: Some songs WILL give away the plot for some chapters. If you really don't want to know what's going to happen, DEFINITELY STOP NOW!** For those of you who are still reading and catch on to what's going to happen, then definitely SHUT UP! Thanks!

* * *

><p>I'm going to list the song titles, who sang which song, and which chapter they're from. <em>(Chapters 10 and 34 are ineligible because technically, none of those songs come from any musical I know. I didn't put down the songs for chapter 34, but trust me, you'll love it!)<em>

CHAPTER ONE:

New Girl In Town: _Sam, Wendy, and Valerie_

CHAPTER TWO:

Last Of The American Girls/She's A Rebel: _Brad, Freddie, Gibby, Sam, and students_

CHAPTER THREE:

So Long Dearie: _Sam_

Favorite Son: _Spencer_

CHAPTER FOUR:

It Can't Be True: _Sam, Wendy, Valerie, Patrice, Pete, Gibby, Shane, Jonah, and Brad_

CHAPTER FIVE:

Carly: _Brad_

What Did I Ever See In Her: _Freddie and Spencer_

CHAPTER SIX:

Nicest Kids In Town: _Principal Franklin, Sam, Brad, Wendy, Gibby, Valerie, Jonah, Patrice, Pete, Missy, and Freddie_

CHAPTER SEVEN:

The Cell Block Tango: _Patrice, Valerie, Wendy, Shannon, Sam, and Tasha_

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Last Night On Earth: _Carly, Sam, and Freddie_

CHAPTER NINE:

Voulez-Vous: _Students_

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Before The Lobotomy: _Sam, Lani, Ariana, and Jamie_

CHAPTER TWELVE:

Telephone Hour: _Students_

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Seasons of Love: _Sam, Lani, Ariana, and Jamie_

All That Jazz: _Sam, Lani, Ariana, Jamie, and students_

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Part Of Your World: _Carly_

Light My Candle: _Gibby and Tasha_

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

Reflections: _Sam_

Cooties: _Carly and students_

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

What's Good For Principal Franklin: _Sam, Lani, Ariana, Jamie, Melanie, Gibby, Patricia, and Pete_

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

Run And Tell That: _Wesley, Harper, Kevin, Emily, and students_

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

Carly: _Various characters_

Good Morning Baltimore: _Tasha_

CHAPTER NINETEEN:

Extraordinary Girl: _Freddie, Brad, Lani, and Ariana_

CHAPTER TWENTY:

Kiss The Girl: _Gibby, Jonah, Pete, Shane, and travellers_

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

Jesus of Suburbia:

-Jesus of Suburbia: _Freddie_

-City Of The Damned:_ Brad_

-I Don't Care: _Carly, Wendy, Missy, and Valerie_

-Dearly Beloved: _Lani_

-Tales Of Another Broken Home: _Sam_

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:

Nicest Kids In Town (Reprise): _Corny Collins and show cast_

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:

La Vie Boheme A: _The Corny Collins Show cast feat. Freddie and Lani_

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:

I Should Tell You: _Sam and Freddie_

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:

La Vie Boheme B: _The Corny Collins Show cast_

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:

The Legend Of Miss Baltimore Crabs: _Velma and cast_

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:

Cooties (Reprise): _Carly and students_

I'll Cover You: _Sam and Freddie_

**P.S. THIS IS WHERE SPOILERS BECOME LEAKED!**

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:

Too Much Too Soon: _Jonah, Valerie, Pete, and Patricia_

Kids: _Ridgeway teachers_

CHAPTER THIRTY:

Out Tonight: _Carly_

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:

Letterbomb: _Sam_

Hopelessly Devoted To You: _Lani_

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:

Another Day: _Sam, Freddie, Brad, Gibby, and Spencer_

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:

It's Hairspray!: _Corny Collins and girls_

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:

Take Me Or Leave Me: _Ariana and Jamie_

The Cell Block Tango (Reprise): _Patrice, Valerie, Wendy, Shannon, Melanie, and Missy_

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX:

Whatsername: _Brad and students_

I Can Hear The Bells: _Lani_

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:

Before The Lobotomy (Reprise): _Sam_

Your Eyes: _Freddie_

I'll Cover You (Reprise): _Freddie, Melanie, and students_

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT:

Love Heals:_ Carly, Freddie, Melanie, Brad, Lani, Gibby, Ariana, and Jamie_

You Can't Stop The Beat: _Students_

* * *

><p>So, there are all 53 songs you can choose from. Try to limit yourselves to five if you choose to do this at all. Your opinions matter the most! I'm going to work on chapter 29 now!<p>

P.S. For Jesus Of Suburbia, each seperate part of the songs counts as one song, so it's technically five songs.


	29. Too Much Too Soon & Kids

_**(A/N: If you haven't already, go to Chapter 28 and read read read the important note!)**_

* * *

><p>"Hey look," Valerie said as she unlocked her PearPhone, "Wendy just texted me. Sam and Freddie just got back together."<p>

"Of course those two got back together," Pete said as he sipped his Strawberry Splat. "After all they did to each other, what else did you expect?"

"Her to start dating in her own league," Patricia muttered.

"Oh, _here_ we go," Pete groaned. "I said that I made up with Freddie and you act like I signed a peace treaty with Hitler!"

"Freddie wanted to propose to Carly!" Jonah pointed out. "He's insane! Who wants to get married?"

"What's wrong with that?" Valerie asked. "What if we got married?"

"We're in high school babe!"

"Oh, Lord," Pete groaned.

"Babe, can you get me smoothie?" Patricia asked.

"Don't you have money?"

"Not anymore."

"I bought you a necklace for fifty dollars last Saturday! Are you serious?"

"Ugh!" both Valerie and Patricia scoffed at their boyfriends. Jonah and Pete pushed their girls off of their laps and stood up abruptly.

"What the hell?" Valerie snapped.

"What about you?" her boyfriend shot back.

_"She's always living like she's running out of time  
>Too much just ain't enough to keep her satisfied!"<em>

"Pete, baby?" Patricia jutted out her bottom lip. Pete shook his head.

_"Her plastic card is filled with nothing comes to mind  
>It's now her occupation that she's overqualified!"<em>

The two boys stood on the counter, upsetting T-Bo, and glared at their two girlfriends.

_"The looks are always so deceiving  
>The truth is always misconstrued... to you<em>

_Too much too soon  
>Too little and now you're coming unglued<br>Too much too soon  
>Too late and now it sucks to be you<br>Too much too soon  
>Too much too soon<br>Too little and now you're coming unglued  
>Too much too soon<br>Too late and now it sucks to be you too!"_

Patricia and Valerie where oblivious. They stood up on their own table and kicked the smoothies and french fries onto the floor.

_"He's talking shit about how it's better way back when  
>He lives every waking moment as means to an end<br>We are we are but I'm not  
>I never used to be<br>So God bless your fucking past and to hell with your glory!_

_The looks are always so deceiving  
>The truth is always misconstrued... to you<em>

_Too much too soon  
>Too little and now you're coming unglued<br>Too much too soon  
>Too late and now it sucks to be you<br>Too much too soon  
>Too much too soon<br>Too little and now you're coming unglued  
>Too much too soon<br>Too late and now it sucks to be you too!"_

_"She packs her bags and says good-bye-"_

_"And bon voyage!"_

_"Farewell, we'll see you in hell-"_

_"I hope you rest in pieces!"_

"FUCK YOU!" the couples shouted at their now-exes.

_"Too much too soon  
>Too little and now you're coming unglued<br>Too much too soon  
>Too late and now it sucks to be you<br>Too much too soon  
>Too much too soon<br>Too little and now you're coming unglued  
>Too much too soon<br>Too late and now it sucks to be you too!"_

"WHOA!" Jonah, Pete, Valerie, and Patricia all fell onto their backs as they tried to get down. The girls didn't think through about kicking their drinks onto the floor. They all stood up slowly, drenched in blended fruit stickiness, and screamed, "WE'RE THROUGH!"

* * *

><p>"To the seniors!" Mr. Franklin cheered as he raised a plastic wine cup full of champange into the air. The other teachers mimicked him and clinked glasses. Every year, the teachers had a party in the teacher's lounge to celebrate getting rid of the upcoming graduating class. This year, most of the teachers were beyond thrilled that their students were never returning.<p>

"Once those Pucketts are gone, I can breathe again," Miss Briggs pointed out as she literally dumped her liquor down his throat in one obscene gulp.

"That Carly Shay became a lot worse this year," Mr. Buttburn whined. "She and all of those other girls kept on texting all through my class every day!"

"At least they had boyfriends to text!" Miss Ackerman cried.

"Just wait a few months," Mr. Franklin said. "Then we'll never see those kids again!"

"Amen!" everyone else responded.

_"Kids!  
>I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!<br>Kids!  
>Who can understand anything they say?<br>Kids!  
>They are disobedient, disrespectful oafs!<br>Noisy, lazy, sloppy, crazy, loafers!  
>And while we're on the subject:<em>

_Kids!  
>You can talk and talk 'til your face is blue!<br>Kids!  
>But they still just do what they want to do!<br>Why can' they be like we were  
>Perfect in every way?<br>What's the matter with kids today?_

_Kids!  
>We've tried to teach them the best we could!<br>Kids! Kids!  
>Laughing, singing, dancing, grinning morons!<br>And while we're on the subject:_

_Kids!  
>They are just impossible to stop!<br>Kids!  
>With their awful styles, rap, and hip-hop!<br>Why can't the dance like we had?  
>What's wrong with being 'rad'?<br>What's the matter with kids today?"_

"Only two more months!" the teachers cheered as they refilled cups and drank away the memories of their terrible students.

* * *

><p>"Hey, kiddo," Spencer said as he walked through the living room into the kitchen.<p>

"Hey," Carly replied absent-mindedly as she chewed on the cap of her red marker and read the newspaper.

"Are you sick?" The older brother put the back of his hand on his sister's forehead.

"No. Why?"

"One, you're home; and two, you're reading the paper of all things."

"I'm looking for a job and all of my girls are busy fighting with their exes."

"Got it." Spencer took the carton of milk from the fridge. "I'm just glad that you're home more often. I barely saw you within the past year ever since you started seeing Freddie, you know?"

"Then be grateful I dumped him," Carly sighed. She looked up at her brother with the milk. "You're going to take a shower right now, aren't you?"

"Don't judge me!" Spencer sprinted to his bathroom. Carly rolled her eyes and continued scanning her eyes over the boring job listings. Suddenly, one of them caught her eye. She reread the ad three times before confirming with herself that it was meant to be. She picked up the house phone and quickly dialed the number written down. She let the phone ring as she drew four thick red circles around the ad.

"Hello?" she spoke when someone answered after the third ring. "My name is Carly Shay. Is this the Quisp club? I'm here to answer your job listing in the local newpaper..."


	30. Out Tonight

**_(A/N: Nine more chapters until the end! I hope you guys enjoy because I had to redo half of this from accidentally not saving it. Make sure to check out chapter 28! I want to know your favorite songs from the past, present, and future chapters!)_**

* * *

><p>"Why did you bring us here?" Pete asked Gibby.<p>

"Because ever since you two became single, you've been pissing me off," he answered, glaring at Pete and Jonah. "So we're not leaving until the two of you aren't totally depressed anymore."

"But we're at Quisp," Jonah said. "It's an under twenty-one club, so nothing good happens here."

"Ah, but they've added a new addition that you may want to think twice about before complaining," Shane insisted, winking as they walked up to a bouncer by a red velvet rope. They all showed their IDs to prove that they were all eighteen before allowed past the rope and through a thick black curtain.

Many teenagers from Ridgeway and other schools weren't allowed past the rope, and Shane and Gibby knew why. They walked in to see a long staircase coming from the opposite side of the room that led down to a large round stage. There were four poles at the beginning of the stage that were unoccupied. The workers were woman in mini denim skirts and strapless shirts carrying around trays of virginal Pina Coladas and Shirley Temples to those in the club between the ages of eighteen and twenty. The group chose a small round table by the stage and ordered four drinks from the passing waitress. It was nearly twelve o' clock, when the final show would begin. Just as they received their drinks, decorated with twisted straws and pinapple slices and cherries on toothpicks, two gorgeous blondes strutted down the staircase. Each was wearing denim shorts that just barely covered their rears and dark bikini tops. They went in opposite directions and wrapped themselves on one of the poles, climbing up by gripping onto the pole with their thighs and pulling themselves up slowly, making a show out of it.

"I take back everything I ever said about this place," Jonah drooled.

"And now the newest performer of Quisp will show us what she's got!" the emcee announced. "Here's Carly!" The four boys froze when the spotlight turned on top Carly slowly walking down a catwalk to the top of the staircase. She was wearing a leopard print robe, and they were all scared for what was underneath.

"Holy crap!" the four exclaimed. After a few moments, they all finally began cheering for her while searching their wallets for one dollar bills. Carly reached the top of the stairs and waved, toying with the rope of her robe, teasing her audience.

_"What's the time?  
>Well it's gotta be close to midnight<br>My body's talking to me  
>It says, 'Time for danger'!"<em>

Carly untied the knot and let the robe fall onto the first landing. She revealed her glittery black cropped halter top and black ruffled boy shorts. The boys began hooting and hollering at her. She grabbed opposite sides of the railings and spread her legs out as well, flashing the audience of horny young men the small strip of fabric between her legs. The Ridgeway boys were in utter shock by now.

_"It says, 'I wanna commit a crime  
>Wanna be the cause of a fight<br>Wanna put on a tight skirt and flirt  
>With a stranger'."<em>

She reached the bottom of the stairs. She grabbed onto the pole to her right and jumped up, spinning around with her legs latched on to the metal rod.

_"I've had a knack from way back  
>I'm breaking the rules once I learn the game<br>Get up, life's too quick  
>I know someplace sick<br>Where this chance'll dance it the flames."_

Carly grabbed a green bill from someone who looked like he was in a college fraternity. She crawled over to one of the blondes and wiped the bill from back to front between her legs before stuffing the bill in her top.

_"We don't need any money  
>I always get in for free<br>You can get in too  
>If you get in with me<em>

_Let's go out tonight  
>I have to go out tonight<br>You wanna play?  
>Let's run away<br>We won't be back  
>Before it's New Years Day<br>Take me out tonight_

_Meow... HA!"_

Carly grabbed her crotch and thrusted it forward, right into her friends' faces. She didn't notice though as she rolled across the floor and stole another boy's baseball cap right off of his head. She also didn't catch how Shane was recording every moment.

_"When I get a wink from the doorman  
>Do you know how lucky you'll be?<br>That you're on line with the feline  
>Of Avenue B<em>

_Let's go out tonight  
>I have to go out tonight<br>You wanna prowl?  
>Be my night owl<br>Well take my hand we're gonna howl  
>Out tonight!"<em>

The three girls were dancing with such passion and very sensually with the other two. The four boys never knew that Carly could ever act this way. They expected Missy to work here before any of their friends, with the exception of Sam. However, Sam, Ariana, Jamie, Patrice, and Wendy were all dancers on _The Corny Collins Show_. Maybe this was her way of proving that she could become a dancer too?

_"In the evening I've got to roam  
>Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome<br>Feels too damn much like home  
>When the Spanish babies cry<em>

_So let's find a bar  
>So dark we forget who we are<br>And all the scars from the  
>Nevers and maybes die<em>

_Let's go out tonight  
>Have to go na-na-na-na-out tonight<br>You're sweet  
>Wanna hit the street?<br>Wanna wail at the moon like a cat in heat?  
>Just take me out tonight!"<em>

Carly crawled closer toward the stage, throwing back the hat to the stranger. She was so in the moment she couldn't recognize any of the boys' faces as she inched closer. They weren't looking at her face, but rather her chest.

_"Please take me- out tonight  
>Don't forsake me- out tonight<br>I'll let you make me- out tonight  
>Tonight<br>Tonight  
>Tonight!"<em>

Carly snatched one of their drinks and pranced up the staircase again, making sure to bend down low and grab her robe. She threw it back over her shoulder and strutted down the catwalk, making sure to shake her hips exaggeratedly. Shane quickly sent the video to Wendy's phone to make sure the word got out.

"How many people are now out of ones?" Pete asked hoarsely. The four boys and some of the others around them sheepishly held their hands up.


	31. Letterbomb & Hopelessly Devoted To You

_**(A/N: I figured that I'm going to update twice a day with the chapters and type them all ASAP, with the exception of the finale. I've gotten a few requests for final songs so far, so let's see what else you guys liked!)**_

* * *

><p>"Why aren't you coming back to Ridgeway?" Freddie whined. Sam groaned and sat down on the arm of his couch.<p>

"Because last time I tried walking in there I was stoned," Sam stated. "Remember me showing up covered in bruises and blood? I can't go back! I'm taking a semester off and getting my GED next semester."

"When everyone else is off in college and university and you're all alone? Why?"

"Why can't you accept that the world is hard for me!"

"Because we're stuck in the same situation!" Freddie groaned and stood up. Sam looked oblivious.

"I have to celebrate my Christmas in July this year," she said quietly.

"A lot of people do," was her response. Sam could feel her blood beginning to boil. She texted Lani to pick her up so they could discuss the order of the Miss Ridgeway Pageant for the talent portion. She really needed to just get away from Freddie so she wouldn't accidentally break his nose or something, but that was something she needed to do as well. Freddie was in the kitchen eating an apple and staring at his girlfriend. She looked up at him and growled.

_"Where have all the bastards gone?  
>The underbelly stacks up ten high!<br>The dummy failed the crash test  
>Collecting unemployment checks<br>Like a flunkie along for the ride_

_Where have all the riots gone  
>As the city's motto gets pulverized?<br>What's in love is now in debt  
>On your birth certificate<br>So strike the fucking match to light this fuse!"_

"Really Sam?" Freddie rolled his eyes. He was used to Sam having temper tantrums like this after knowing her for such a long time.

_"The town bishop is an extortionist  
>And he doesn't even know that you exist<br>Standing still when it's do or die  
>You better run for your fucking life!<em>

_It's not over 'til you're underground  
>It's not over before it's too late<br>This city's burning  
>It's not my burden<br>It's not too over before it's too late_

_There's nothing left to analyze."_

Freddie pulled off a paper towel from a nearby roll and wiped his face and the counter from the juice that had dribbled from him. He seemed uninterested.

_"Where will all the martyrs go when the virus cures itself?  
>And where will we all go when it's too late?<em>

_And don't look back_

_You're not the Jesus of Suburbia  
>The Saint Freddie is a figment of<br>Your father's rage and your mother's love  
>Made me the idiot America!"<em>

Freddie threw his apple away and got out a can of Pepi-Cola.

_"It's not over 'til you're underground  
>It's not over before it's too late<br>This city's burning  
>It's not my burden<br>It's not over before it's too late_

_She said I can't take this town  
>I'm leaving it behind<em>

_Wake up!_

_Well she said I can't take this town  
>I'm leaving you tonight<em>

_I'm leaving you tonight  
>Tonight!"<em>

"Just because you're going to celebrate Christmas in July doesn't mean you can overreact like this," Freddie said as he put his can down on the table. Sam froze before collapsing into tears on the couch. Now he was confused. He rushed over and awkwardly put his arms around her. "What's wrong?" he asked. He kissed her forehead and she sniffled.

"I can't have a real Christmas this year," Sam said shakily. "I saw the doctor yesterday-"

"The one in this apartment?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah. He said... I'm not gonna be able to live for Christmas." Freddie was in shock. He knew that Sam's condition was worse than his, but he didn't expect her to be that much worse. After all, she was only two months older than he was. He scooped up a weeping Sam onto his lap and rocked her back and forth, hushing her and petting her head.

"Please come back to Ridgeway," he pleaded. "I want to spend as much time as I can with you."

"Okay, I will for you- for us."

* * *

><p>Lani parked in the garage underneath of the building and sent Sam a text to let her know that she was here. Apparently Sam and Freddie were fighting when she received the first text, and since she was only a few minutes away, she didn't really mind. There was a lot on Sam's plate- Miss Hairspray, Miss Ridgeway, Freddie, her newfound enemies, and her AIDS that she never revealed to anyone before. Lani reread her old text messages between her and Freddie before Sam came back into the picture. As much as she was grateful that Sam was her friend, she was still in love with her best friend's boyfriend.<p>

_"Guess mine is not the first heart broken  
>My eyes are not the first to cry<br>I'm not the first to know  
>There's just no getting over you<em>

_I know I'm just a fool who's willing  
>To sit around and wait for you<br>But baby can't you see  
>There's nothing else for me to do<br>I'm hopelessly devoted to you_

_But now there's nowhere to hide  
>Since you pushed my love aside<br>I'm out of my head  
>Hopelessly devoted to you<br>Hopelessly devoted to you  
>Hopelessly devoted to you<em>

_My head is saying, 'Fool, forget him,'  
>My heart is saying, 'Don't let go!'<br>Hold on to the end  
>That's what I intend to do<br>I'm hopelessly devoted to you_

_But now there's nowhere to hide  
>Since you pushed my love aside<br>I'm out of my head  
>Hopelessly devoted to you<br>Hopelessly devoted to you  
>Hopelessly devoted to you..."<em>

Lani saw Sam quickly approaching her and Lani put her phone back to the home screen before locking it and shoving it in her jean pocket. Sam sat on the hood of the yellow buggy and lit up a cigarette. She took a long drag before taking it out of her mouth and slowly letting the smoke release between her lips. Lani decided to get out of the car and sit beside her best friend.

"I'm going back to Ridgeway," Sam said after a few awkwardly silent minutes. "Freddie begged me and... I couldn't say no."

"We promise to make sure Principal Franklin hears first," Lani said.

"No need to; Freddie is already. Besides, now that Carly the Stripper has gone viral on SplashFace, she shouldn't be much of a problem anymore. There's just Miss Hairspray and Miss Ridgeway."

"Sam, you need to stop pushing yourself to do all of these great things. Why do you think there's seven other people along side ready to help you?"

Sam smiled and pulled Lani into a hug. "You really are a great friend." Lani hesitantly put her arms around her friend and returned the hug, smiling. Despite being in love with Freddie, she was positive nothing could come between the two of them. She did take notice to a mark on Sam's neck.

"Uh, Sam, is that a hickey?" she asked.

"What?" Sam jumped up and checked herself out in the car door mirror. Sure enough, a purplish bruise was on her neck.

"Did Freddie... you know... yeah?" Lani couldn't put it in any way that she was sure wouldn't upset Sam.

"Uh, yeah," Sam replied. She smiled. "I'll just put some concealer on it or use my hair to hide it. No big deal." The two girls piled back in the car and headed to Lani's house to discuss the plans for the upcoming Miss Ridgeway pageant.

"This is gonna be hell," Lani said as she handed a file over to Sam. "It's the best we could do. Everyone tried to get solo acts, but we have three solos, one duet, and a group number. There's a total of eleven girls competing."

"Then we should kick some ass or be shamed out of this place," Sam muttered as she read over the file.


	32. Another Day

Freddie sat on his bed and tried to tune his guitar. He took lessons way back when and tried his hardest to reteach himself, but so far, it wasn't going over too well. It did take his mind over the fights he'd been having with Sam lately. All of them ended up bringing up the fact that the two of them were both dying and that Sam was going to be gone sooner than him. It made him want to lock himself up in a room and cry forever, but he was too mad at her to even begin letting a single tear shed. He was reminded of the reason why they broke up the first two times; their constant fighting over every little thing that annoyed them. It seemed to be a repeat of their past relationships, but much shorter than the other times. He heard the door open, and since his mother's voice wasn't ringing like an annoying fire alarm down the hall, he knew it was Sam cutting the chain lock with some tool. He looked up to see her walking in the room with a saw. She set it down and crawled onto the bed. He knew what she expected to come next, just like all of the other times, but this time, he wasn't going to allow it. He sprang onto his feet, scaring her.

_"Who do you think you are?  
>Barging in on me and my guitar<br>Little girl- hey  
>The door is that way<br>You better go you know  
>The fire's out anyway<br>Take your problems- take you candle  
>Your sweet whisper- I just can't handle<br>Well take your hair in the moonlight  
>Your blue eyes- goodbye, goodnight!"<em>

Freddie stormed over to the doorway and paused, wondering if he should talk to Sam.

_"I should tell you  
>I should tell you<br>I should tell you  
>I should- NO!"<em>

He whirled around, startling Sam, who was right behind him.

_"Another time, another place  
>Our temperature would climb<br>There'd be a long embrace  
>We'd do another dance<br>It'd be another play  
>Looking for romance?<br>Come back another day  
>Another day!"<em>

Freddie sat on the edge of his bed and crossed his arms. Sam sat behind him and hugged him around his neck, trying to look forgiving.

_"The heart may freeze  
>Or it may burn<br>The pain will ease  
>If I can learn<br>There is no future  
>There is no past<br>I live this moment  
>As my last<em>

_There's only us  
>There's only this<br>Forget, regret  
>Or live is yours to miss<br>No other road  
>No other way<br>No day but today."_

Freddie shook her off.

_"Excuse me if I'm off track  
>But if you hate me<br>Then tell me  
>Why do you come back?<br>Take your clothes  
>Take your fancy prayer<br>And don't forget  
>Get the moonlight out of your hair<br>Long ago, you might have lit up my heart  
>But the fire's dead<br>It ain't never ever gonna start!"_

He grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged her into the hall. He pushed the elevator button and waited.

_"Another time, another place  
>The words would only rhyme<br>We'd be in outer space  
>It'd sing another song<br>We'd sing another way  
>You want to prove me wrong?<br>Come back another day  
>Another day!"<em>

Freddie pushed Sam into the elevator and sent her to the lobby. He went back into his apartment and went onto the fire escape, waiting to see what kind of show she would put on. She crossed her arms and walked over in front of the Groovy Smoothie, intentionally looking right into his eyes.

_"There's only yes  
>Only tonight<br>We must let go  
>To know what's right<br>No other course  
>No other way<br>No day but today!"_

Brad, Gibby, and Spencer all exitted the Groovy Smoothie and stood by Sam. Freddie groaned. Of course they took her side. They seem to always have.

_"I can't control (Control your temper!)  
>My destiny (She doesn't see!)<br>I trust my soul (Who says there's a soul?)  
>My only goal is just to be (Just leave me be!)<em>

_There's only now (Who do you think you are?)  
>There's only this<br>Give in to love (Barging in on me and my guitar!)  
>Or live in fear<br>No other path (Little girl- hey!)  
>No other way (The door is that way!)<br>No day but today (The fire's out anyway!)_

_No day but today (Take your problems; take your candle!)  
>No day but today (Take your blue eyes, your pretty smile, your silhouette!)<br>No day but today (Another time, another place, another rhyme, a warm embrace!)  
>No day but today (Another dance, another way, another chance, another day!)<br>No day but today!"_

Sam looked to Brad and began crying. Brad pulled Sam into a hug. Then Gibby and Spencer hugged her as well. Freddie groaned and went back inside.

* * *

><p>Carly heard a few loud knocks on the front door. She threw her coat over her clothes and her messenger bag over her shoulder. Spencer had went to bed thirty minutes ago, and he has yet to discover the job his baby sister had taken up. Carly heard the knocks again and quickly ran over to open the door. She frowned when she saw none other than Melanie Puckett standing in the hallway.<p>

"We need to talk," she said.

"I need to go to work," Carly said.

"Then I will still talk to you while you try to avoid me." Carly groaned and pushed past the blonde.

"I'm not interested!" She pushed the elevator down button a few times and waited patiently. Melanie made her way over to Carly.

"Sam is coming back to Ridgeway whether you like it or not, so I need you to stop this bullcrap you're doing to her," she said.

"I'm ignoring you."

"Principal Franklin is having people monitor Sam through the cameras so that if anyone does anything bad to her they get arrested too."

"That's lovely, but I don't care."

"Freddie is HIV positive too!"

"But you and your sister do too."

"No, I don't!" Carly was now interested in the conversation.

"How can you not have the disease, but your identical twin sister does?" she asked.

"Because my mom took medicine during the first half of her pregnancy, but then stopped. It only affected Sam in the long run. And you're acting like a total psyco bitch to her because your afraid that her dying is going to make you less popular!" Melanie was suddenly backhanded by Carly.

"That's a lie," she spat.

"Then why is it that when you find out that Sam has AIDS, you want her dead?" Melanie cried. Carly couldn't answer her. "Because before the year ends, you'll have your wish. Why can't you just leave her alone?" The elevator opened and Melanie stepped inside. Carly started, but Melanie's head shaking made her not do so.

"Melanie, I..." Carly began.

"Just have fun being a stripper and leave my sister and me alone," Melanie said. The door shut and made it's way to the lobby. Carly was stunned. No one had ever talked to her like that, and it probably was going to happen again. She didn't realize how monsterous her behavior had become. She was a eighteen-year-old exotic dancer who tried to kill a girl with AIDS. She leaned back against the wall and began to cry.


	33. It's Hairspray!

**_(A/N: Okay, so today I'm adding three chapters. Only because the next two chapters need to be posted together. In other words, I'll probably add two tomorrow, three Sunday, and the final one on Monday. Time is slipping. Tick-tock!)_**

* * *

><p>"Hey Freddie, is it true that you just dumped Sam?" Wendy shouted into the phone.<p>

"Yeah, I did," Freddie replied. "Why do you care?"

"Because tomorrow is the Miss Hairspray contest," the gossip queen began. "It would be awfully nice if I could win."

"Well, you got some heavy competition, with Cat and Ariana-"

"Freddie, I need you to rig the votes!" Wendy blurted. Freddie gasped.

"I could never!" he exclaimed. "That would be blasphomy!"

"Huh, is that right? Well, then I guess _Sam_ could win instead..." Wendy grinned as she heard Freddie give a sigh of defeat.

"Alright, I'll do it, but in return, I need something," he said. "Being single is something that the other girls want me to be so they can jump me."

"I _could_ set you up with one of the other dancers," she said. "I know that Tori might have a thing for me. It would bring a _lot_ of attention to you if you were a couple with the winner from the past three years-"

"I'll take it!" he blurted. "Thanks Wendy!"

"No problem. Here's what we'll do: I'll tip off Velma to switch the ballots when no one is looking, and you'll do something to the other dancers to make sure that they can't dance as good as me, you got it?"

"It's a deal."

* * *

><p>"And now, broadcast live in front of a live studio audience, for the first time from the certified, up-to-code WYDT studio, it's <em>The Corny Collins Hairspray Spectacular<em>!" Corny Collins announced.

"He's Corny!" the girls chirped, pointing to the man who ran the show.

"Brought to you by Ultraclutch Hairspray!" He grinned like an idiot while the audience cheered. The eight girls got into a line and smiled sweetly, with the exception of an absent and sick Jamie. The six boys were behind them smiled as well. Freddie tried to keep calm; when the girls were all distracted, he had sprayed hairspray on the bottom of some of the girls' dancing shoes, while the others were waxed. Some would get stuck, others would slip, but Wendy would shine.

_"What gives a girl  
>Power and punch?<br>Is it charm, is it poise?  
>No, it's hairspray!"<em>

The boys sprayed the smelly, sticky stuff into the air on cue.

_"What gets a gal  
>Asked out to lunch?<br>Is it brains, is it dough?  
>No, it's hairspray!"<em>

The girls got into a circle and walked around, smiling and waving at the cameras as they passed them.

_"If you take a ride  
>With no can at your side<br>Then your flip will be gone  
>With the wind!"<em>

The girls paused and did fake gasps.

_"But if you spray it and lock it  
>You can take off in a rocket<br>And in outer space  
>Each hair will be in place!<em>

_Why take a chance  
>When you get up and dance<br>If you twist, i insist  
>You use hairspray <em>

_And tell your mother  
>Her head she should smother<br>With "ultra-clutch" faithfully_

_So if you're a redhead,  
>A blonde or brunette<br>Just take my advice  
>And you might just get<br>The only thing better than hairspray_

_That's me!"_

The teens all posed.

_"Ska-doo-dle-e-ya  
>Doo-dle-e-ya do wah!"<em>

Corny flashed the camera a smile.

_"Forget the milkman  
>The only thing better than hairspray!"<em>

The teens posed again.

_"Hairspray! Wow!"_

Corny did a small spin in place.

_"That's me!_

_What makes a man  
>Reach out and touch?<br>Ultra clutch! _

_So if you're a redhead,  
>A blonde or brunette<br>Just take my advice  
>And you might just get <em>

_The only thing better than hairspray  
>That's me!"<em>

The boys sprayed hairspray again.

_"Ska-doo-dle-e-ya  
>Doo-dle-e-ya do wah!"<em>

The girls all ran up around Corny and posed.

_"He's Corny Collins!"_

_"The only thing better than hairspray!"_

_"Hairspray! Wow!"_

_"That's me!"_

_"He's Corny Collins  
>Ska-doo-dle-e-ya do wah<br>Ska-doo-dle-e-ya do wah!  
>Do wow!"<em>

"Hey, baby, you look like you could use a stiff one!" Corny told the camera. Trina winked at the camera before wailing like a siren;

_"Ska-doo-dle-e-ya-do do wah!"_

The camera men signalled that they were done. The girls all called out for someone from makeup crew. Jade snapped at Beck for spraying right in her face. He responded by doing so again. Corny began pairing up boys and girls and lined them up- Tori and Andrè, (because there was more girls than guys) Wendy and Trina, Ariana and Brad, Jade and Beck, Patrice and Jonah, Cat and Robbie, and Sam and Freddie. Wendy looked at Freddie and winked, and then did the same thing with the station manager. The director did a countdown from seven and everyone put on their fake smiles again.

"Alright, now let's see what our girls got!" Corny announced. "First up, we've got our three-time champion, Tori!" Tori stepped up and started her dance. When she tried to do a spin, she spun right out of her shoes as they stayed in place. At first she froze, but then she got back in them and kept on going.

"Perfect," Wendy whispered under her breath. She looked off stage to see Velma stuffing ballots into her bra while the blocks on the board moved. One for Tori and two for Wendy. She grinned.

"Now here's her big sister Trina!" Trina jumped up and began wiggling her arms and legs around as if she were trying to fly. When she couldn't move her legs, she did start flapping her arms. Tori smacked her forehead in embarassment.

"Here's Wendy!" Wendy grinned and began doing the Charleston. When she tried sliding to the left, she slid too far and fell over. She gasped but got up and kept a fake smile on her face as she kept on dancing. She went back to her spot and looked over to Freddie.

_You messed with my shoes!_ Wendy mouthed.

_I swear I didn't!_ Freddie mouthed back. Wendy looked down to see that her bright red dance shoes were now a dull black. She gasped; someone had caught on. She watched each girl to see who it was. Ariana slipped. Jade stuck. Patrice slipped. Cat stuck but when she did, she danced barefoot, getting a lot of cheers in response. It wasn't until Sam went up and didn't mess up once when Wendy knew who found out.

"Freddie, you screwed up!" Wendy blurted after Sam finished. Everyone stared at her and she turned red.

"Uh, what are you talking about?" Corny asked, laughing and trying to keep a smile.

"I'll tell you what!" Velma snapped as she stormed onto the set. "That redhead bribed me to switch ballots, and that boy with Sam was apart of this!" Everyone gasped and stepped away from Freddie and Wendy.

"You did this?" Sam asked in disbelief.

"Then what did you stuff in your bra?" Wendy asked Velma.

"A tape recording of the conversation between you two that my daughter got a hold of!" the woman snapped, pulling out the tape for proof. "You are hereby disqualified and banned from studio property! That goes for both of you!" Velma grabbed Wendy and Freddie and dragged them off set. They watched in horror as everyone cheered and congratulated the next Miss Teenage Hairspray- Sam.


	34. Miss Ridgeway, Part One

**_(A/N: I know that I promised you guys that I would be finished today, and I was planning on it. But if you live between New York and Virginia like I do, then you've probably been powerless too! And my house will be powerless until at least Friday because my street has wires EVERYWHERE! I'm at my cousin's house now and there's power and internet, so I'm going to try to finish the next three chapters right now if I can. Thank Mother Nature for PMSing.)_**

* * *

><p>It was the big day for eleven senior girls in Ridgeway High School- the Miss Ridgeway pagaent. Almost all of the school had shown up to witness the new event. Mostly, boys showed up because of Carly. They all knew that Carly was an exotic dancer now, and since most of them couldn't legally watch her show and the video of her had been removed from SplashFace, they wanted to see what she'd be doing as an act. On top of that, Sam was Miss Teenage Hairspray, and she already had to give out autographs to many random people on the street. Not many people were thrilled that she was a celebrity unless they were close to her. And Wendy knew she wasn't going to become a fan favorite anytime soon after what had happened at the Miss Tennage Hairspray competition; her and Freddie had accidentally blurted out what they had done live on the air for everyone to witness. The whole group was becoming outcasted from the others, and with the couples all broken up, the group of friends were beyond awkward.<p>

The first thing up was the introduction of the girls by what month they chose along with the picture that was in the calender the school was selling for a fundraiser. Lani posed in the snowfall for January. Melanie was surrounded by hearts for February. Missy went Easter Egg hunting ithe March picture. April rained onto Sam. Shannon picked flowers in May. Wendy wore a blue and white matching cap and gown with a fake diploma for June. Carly danced with fireworks and sparklers in red, white, and blue for July. Valerie tanned on the beach for August. Ariana stood with a bookbag in front of Ridgeway in September. Jamie dressed as a witch and sat upon a pumkin to represent the end of October. Patrice was an upgraded pilgrim on top of a set table with a Thanksgiving meal set out for November. All eleven girls were posed for December- ten elves with Sam as Mrs. Claus in the middle. Then they all modeled swimsuits- much to the male audience's interest- and casual wear. The one thing that mattered most to the girls was dazzling the judges- Miss Briggs, Mr. Howard, Miss Ackerman, and Mr. Buttburn- in the talent portion. The first one up was Carly. She went up on stage and waited for the hooting and hollering to quiet down.

"Despite what I know what you all think," she said into the microphone, "I'm going to sing _Raining Sunshine_." She took a deep breath and waited for the music to play up to the first verse.

_"Sunshine, Sunshine, Raining, Sunshine  
>When you think all hope is gone<br>There's a place somewhere beyond  
>Take a chance and realize<br>It's right before your very eyes_

_Leave the Dark clouds far behind_  
><em>And step outside, the weather's fine<em>

_It's raining sunshine,_  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>  
><em>All over mankind<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>

_As real as it can be,_  
><em>Believe in what you see.<em>  
><em>Not just in your mind.<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine..<em>

_Sunshine, Sunshine, Raining, Sunshine.._  
><em>Sunshine, Sunshine, Raining, Sunshine..<em>

_Somethin's in the atmosphere,_  
><em>Don't be scared of what you fear.<em>  
><em>Look around, the storm has passed,<em>  
><em>Just hurricanes of happiness.<em>

_Raise up your umbrellas high,_  
><em>And stand beneath, the clear blue sky..<em>

_It's raining sunshine_  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>  
><em>All over mankind<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>

_As real as it can be_  
><em>Believe in what you see<em>  
><em>Not just in your mind<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine..<em>

_Too many wonders to explain_  
><em>Rays of sunlight, drops of rain<em>  
><em>Coming down from up above<em>  
><em>Cloudy with a chance of love.<em>

_Can't you feel it in the air?_  
><em>Sweet sensations everywhere<em>  
><em>Whatever wearther is in store,<em>  
><em>Bring it on, because I want more..<em>

_Sunshine, Sunshine, Raining, Sunshine.._  
><em>Sunshine, Sunshine, Raining, Sunshine..<em>

_It's raining sunshine_  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>  
><em>All over mankind<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine<em>

_As real as it can be_  
><em>Believe in what you see..<em>  
><em>It's not just in your mind,<em>  
><em>It's raining sunshine..."<em>

Carly was shocked at how many people began cheering. She knew that they all expected her to dance like she did every midnight. They probably didn't expect anything like this. Besides, instead of being barely dressed, she had on a yellow sundress that went to her knees, the most clothes she'd ever worn when she smiled and waved as she walked offstage.

* * *

><p>Next was Lani. She strutted out onto stage in black booty shorts, fishnet stockings, black jazz shoes, and a purple tank top. She was wearing a headset instead of using a microphone on the stage. She cleared her throat and waited for her audience to quiet down.<p>

"I'm going to be singing and dancing to an original song," she said. "For those of you who don't know me, I am a professional singer and dancer, but I'm not that open about it." Everyone watched as she began dancing and singing;

"_I'm exotic, hypnotic  
>Ain't ever seen a girl like me<br>Won't believe your eyes.  
>I just stepped out of your fantasy<em>

_Got your attention now_  
><em>Got you where i want you<em>  
><em>Gonna take you, take you underground.<em>  
><em>Welcome to my wonderland<em>  
><em>From another world, i'm an alien<em>

_I'm coming down it's raining fire_  
><em>It's an invasion<em>  
><em>I'm gonna take you higher<em>  
><em>My command is your desire<em>  
><em>It's an abduction<em>  
><em>Time to rewire,<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>

_(are watching you)_

_You're robotic, psychotic_  
><em>I'm in control, i make you move<em>  
><em>You want it, you love it, i got it<em>  
><em>You can't refuse<em>

_Got your attention now_  
><em>Can't help but listen now<em>  
><em>Got you where i want you<em>  
><em>Gonna take you, take you underground<em>  
><em>You're my new expierment<em>  
><em>Don't be afraid, i'm heaven sent<em>

_I'm coming down it's raining fire_  
><em>It's an invasion<em>  
><em>I'm gonna take you higher<em>  
><em>My command is your desire<em>  
><em>It's an abduction<em>  
><em>Time to rewire,<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>

_You feel me lookin for ya_  
><em>You've got that paranoia<em>  
><em>I'm all up under yoiur skin<em>  
><em>Inside and out, i know ya<em>  
><em>I'm breathing down your neck<em>  
><em>I'll make you break a sweat<em>  
><em>Work it again and again<em>  
><em>You ain't seen nothing yet<em>

_I'm coming down it's raining fire_  
><em>It's an invasion<em>  
><em>I'm gonna take you higher<em>  
><em>My command is your desire<em>  
><em>It's an abduction<em>  
><em>Time to rewire,<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you<em>  
><em>Alien eyes are watching you."<em>

Lani pranced off of the stage, leaving behind the standing ovation she was receiving from her fellow students.

* * *

><p>Sam walked out with her acoustic guitar. She took deep breaths as the students immediately quieted down. She stummed a few chords, but she stopped and grabbed the microphone.<p>

"Listen up," she said. "I know that you guys think that I'm a bad person, but hear me out. I just turned eighteen and I've been living with HIV until I began high school, when I found out that I had AIDS. I'm not going to live to see Christmas this year. And you all think that I'm the bad guy. I'm just trying to enjoy what I have left of my life." With that she sat back down on her stool and restarted her song.

_"I found a picture of my mother  
>In her bell-bottom jeans<br>Flowers in her hair  
>Two fingers up for peace<em>

_In that Polaroid she smiled, a grown up baby boomer_  
><em>Maybe mama walked down the wild side<em>  
><em>Walking on the moon<em>  
><em>What will they say about us?<em>

_I've heard stories about my grandpa_  
><em>Child of the Great Depression<em>  
><em>How growing up broke creates<em>  
><em>And deep and dark impression<em>

_He sits in a rocker down at the veterans' home_  
><em>Even when I got to visit<em>  
><em>He still rocking all alone<em>  
><em>What will they say about us?<em>

_They call us generation lost_  
><em>Or generation greed<em>  
><em>Or the connected generation<em>  
><em>To a plasma screen<em>

_Or a generation why_  
><em>Enough is not enough<em>  
><em>Or maybe they'll call us<em>  
><em>Generation love, generation love<em>

_We are children of divorce_  
><em>Victims of dysfunction<em>  
><em>We spell check, of course<em>  
><em>And GPS the proper junction<em>

_We've gotten pretty good at shifting all the blame_  
><em>But I think I hear an old song<em>  
><em>Calling my new name<em>  
><em>Generation love<em>

_Not generation lost_  
><em>Or generation greed<em>  
><em>Or the connected generation<em>  
><em>To a plasma screen or a generation<em>

_Or a generation why_  
><em>Enough is not enough<em>  
><em>Or maybe they'll call us<em>  
><em>Generation love, oh, generation love<em>

_And when they open up our time capsule_  
><em>A hundred years from now<em>  
><em>Maybe they'll look inside<em>  
><em>And see we figured out<em>

_How to live with less_  
><em>And give ourselves away<em>

_Just maybe they'll call us_  
><em>Just maybe they'll call us<em>  
><em>Generation love<em>

_We are a brand new generation on the rise_  
><em>Generation love<em>  
><em>We are a brand new generation on the rise<em>  
><em>(Generation love)<em>  
><em>Oh, generation love."<em>

Sam ran off of the stage and left the audience in stunned silence. She pushed back past everyone and went to the girls' bathroom between the auditorium and the Principal Franklin's office. She grabbed her hair and held it up. More purple marks were forming on the sides and back of her neck. She gulped; she knew what came next. She dropped her guitar and ran. She taped a crumbled onto her locker before running out the front doors of Ridgeway.

* * *

><p><strong><em>(AN: Do you know Lani's song? It's "Alien Eyes" by Madisen Hills. Lani's name is an acronym for her real name. And for anyone who knows their iCarly stars should know who Madisen's boyfriend is...)_**


	35. Miss Ridgeway, Part Two

Ariana and Jamie skipped onto the stage as Sam's applause ended. They both held their microphones in their hands. They jumped up and down, wiggling their arms and legs, and shaking their heads in different ways, confusing everyone. They then stopped and put on fake angry faces. Jamie turned her back to Ariana, who the pouted.

_"Every single day  
>I walk down the street<br>I hear people say,  
>'Baby, so sweet!'<br>Ever since puberty  
>Everybody stares at me<br>Boys, girls, I can't help it  
>Baby<br>So be kind and don't lose your mind  
>Just remember that I'm your baby<em>

_Take me for what I am  
>Who I was meant to be<br>And if you give a damn  
>Take me, baby, or leave me<br>Take me, baby, or leave me_

_A tiger in a cage  
>Can never see the sun<br>This diva needs her stage  
>Baby lets have fun<br>You are the one I chose  
>Folks would kill to fill your shoes<br>You love the lime light too now baby  
>So be mine, and don't waste my time<br>Crying, 'Oh honeybear, are you still my, my, my, my baby?'"_

"Don't you dare!" Jamie threatened as Ariana playfully lifted up her shirt, revealling her tan midriff to everyone. Now people were paying closer attention. Ariana dropped her shirt and rolled her eyes.

_"Take me for what I am  
>Who I was meant to be<br>And if you give a damn  
>Take me, baby, or leave me<em>

_No way can I be what I'm not  
>But hey- don't you want your girl hot?<br>Don't fight, don't lose your head  
>'Cause every night, who's in your bed?<br>Who?  
>Who's in your bed?"<em>

"Kiss, pookie," Ariana said, pointing to her cheek.

"It won't work," Jamie said.

_"I look before I leap  
>I love margins and discipline<br>I make lists in my sleep, baby  
>What's my sin?<br>Never quit, I follow through  
>I hate mess, but I love you<br>What to do with my impromptu baby?  
>So be wise, 'cause this girl satisfies<br>You've got a prize but don't compromise  
>You're one lucky baby!<em>

_Take me for what I am!"_

"A control freak," Ariana snorted.

_"Who I was meant to be!"_

"A snob, yet over attentive."

_"And if you give a damn!"_

"A lovable droll geek."

_"Take me, baby, or leave me!"_

"And anal retentave!"

_"That's it!  
>The straw that breaks my back<br>I quit!  
>Unless you take it back<br>Women!  
>What is it about them?<br>Can't live with them or without them!_

_Take me for what I am  
>Who I was meant to be (Who I was meant to be!)<br>And if you give a damn (And if you give a damn then)  
>Take me, baby, or leave me (Take me, baby, or le-e-e-e-eave me!)<br>Take me, baby, or leave me!"_

"Well, I guess I'm leaving!" Ariana and Jamie said as they backed away towards other sides of the stage. "I'm gone!" They both turned abrubtly and stormed off stage.

* * *

><p>The stage was dark and nothing on it was visible. A spotlight turned on above Patrice.<p>

"Pop."

Next was Valerie.

"Six."

Then Wendy.

"Squish."

Then Shannon.

"Uh-uh."

Instead of Sam, there was Melanie.

"Cicero."

The final chair seated Missy this time.

"Oliver."

"Pop."

"Six."

"Squish."

"Uh-uh."

"Cicero."

"Oliver."

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself to blame  
>If you'd have been there<br>If you'd have seen it!"_

"I betcha you would have done the same!" Melanie snarled. Patrice stood up and walked forward.

"You know how people have these little habits that get you down," Patrice said. "Like Pete. Pete likes to chew gum. No, not chew... _pop!_ So I came over this one day and I'm really irritated, and looking for a little sympathy and there's Pete laying on the couch, drinking a soda and chewing. No, not chewing. _Popping._ So, I said to him, I said, 'You pop that gum one more time...' and he did. So I took the shotgun off the wall and fired two warning shots... into his head!" Patrice pulled out a red silk from in her hair before sitting back down.

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself to blame  
>If you'd have been there<br>If you'd have seen it  
>I betcha you would've<br>Done the same!"_

Now Valerie came forward. "I met Jonah Young from Seattle about two years ago, and he told me he was single, and he hit it off right away," Valerie said. "So, we started living together. He'd go to work, he'd come home, I'd fix him a drink, we'd have dinner. And then I found out, 'Single' he told me? Single my ass! Not only was he taken... oh, no, he had _six _girlfriends. One of those players, you know? So that night, when he came home, I fixed him his drink as usual." She smiled. "You know, some guys just can't hold their arsenic." She pulled a red silk from her mouth- at least it was allusioned as such- and people gagged from the thought of it being real. She stormed back to her seat.

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He took a flower  
>In its prime<br>And then he used it  
>And he abused it<br>It was a murder  
>But not a crime!"<em>

Wendy stood on her chair. "Now, I'm standing in the kitchen, carving up the chicken for dinner, minding my own business, and in storms my boyfriend Shane, in a jealous rage," Wendy said. "'You been screwing the garbage man,' he says. He was crazy, and kept screaming, 'You been screwing the milkman!'" Wendy paused as she placed her hand at the top of her jeans. "And then he ran into my knife. He ran into my knife ten times." She pulled out a sash, jumped up in the air, and landed on her seat.

_"If you'd have been there  
>If you'd have seen it<br>I betcha you would've done the same!"_

Shannon pranced forward. "What am doing here? They say my famous lover held down my husband while I chopped off his head. But it isn't true, I am innocent. I don't know why Uncle Sam says I did it. I tried to explain it at the police station but they didn't understand me..." Shannon looked down in shame and pulled apart her hands to reveal not a red, but a blue silk. Everyone on stage looked confused.

"I thought you only spoke Hungarian?" Wendy asked.

"Uh-uh, English too!" Shannon confirmed. She went back to her seat. Melanie sashayed forward with an annoyed look on her face.

"My sister, Sam, and I did this double act, and my boyfriend, Freddie, used to travel around with us. Now, for the last number in our act, we did these twenty acrobatic tricks in a row. One, two, three, four, five, splits, spread eagles, backflips, flip flops, one right after the other. So this one night before the show we were at the hotel Cicero, the three of us, boozing, having a few laughs, and we ran out of ice, so I go out to get some. I come back, open the door, and there's Sam and Freddie doing number seventeen... THE SPREAD EAGLE!" The audience gasped. Freddie groaned and shrunk down in his seat. "Well, I was in such a state of shock, I completely blacked out. I can't remember a thing. It wasn't until later, when I was washing the blood off my hands I even knew they were dead!" Melanie let two red silks fall from her hands. She tried to stay 'angry', but in her mind, she knew that telling everyone that Sam and Freddie were (metaphorically) dead wasn't a good thing. She sat down.

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming all along!"_

_"They had it coming all along!"_

_"I didn't do it!"_

_"She didn't do it!"_

_"But if I done it!"_

_"But if she done it!"_

_"How could you tell me that I was wrong!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming!"_

_"They had it coming  
>All along!"<em>

_"They took a flower  
>In its prime!"<em>

_"I didn't do it!"_

_"And then they used it!"_

_"But if I done it!"_

_"And they abused it!"_

_"How could you tell me  
>That I was wrong!"<em>

_"It was a murder  
>But not a crime!"<em>

Now Missy stood up. "I loved Beck Oliver more than I can possibly say," she said. "He was a real artistic guy... Sensitive... an actor. But he was troubled. He was always trying to find himself. He'd go out every night looking for himself, and along the way, he found Jade, Cat, Tori, and Trina. I guess you can say we broke up because of our artistic differences. He saw himself as alive, and I saw him _dead!_" Missy pulled a red silk from her shirt. The others rolled their eyes; Missy had an obsession with Beck Oliver from _The Corny Collins Show_ and swore that they would marry. They all knew that she was delusional. The first five stood up and crawled forward.

_"The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum  
>The dirty bum, bum, bum, bum, bum<em>

_They had it coming  
>They had it coming<br>They had it coming  
>All along<br>'Cause if they used it  
>And they abused it<br>How could you tell us that we were wrong?"_

The girls paired up- Patrice with Valerie, Wendy with Shannon, and Sam with Missy- and all did the tango together.

_"He had it coming  
>He had it coming<br>He only had himself  
>To blame<br>If you'd have been there  
>If you'd have seen it<br>I betcha you would've done the same!"_

"Pop that gum one more time!"

"Single my ass!"

"Ten times!"

"Is it that hard to understand I speak English now?"

"Number seventeen- the spread eagle."

"Artistic differences."

"Pop."

"Six."

"Squish."

"Uh-uh."

"Cicero."

"Oliver."

The six spotlights turned off. Everyone stood up and cheered for the last act.

* * *

><p>Brad decided to slip away for a moment before they announced the winner to get some fresh air from the crowded auditorium. He walked down the main hallway. He made it past Principal Franklin's office when he noticed something taped onto Sam's locker. He pulled it off and read it;<p>

_Dear whatever person finds this,_

_I don't know if you actually know me or not. But I've been dying, as you've heard. That was my final appearance in public forever. The marks have branded my skin and I cannot reveal myself to you as I leave you all. So please, don't look for me. I've gone someplace that no one would ever dare to look._

_Samantha Puckett_

"Damn it!" Brad hissed. He ran back into the auditorium, but stopped as he saw that people were standing up and cheering. He saw Miss Briggs put a sash reading 'MISS RIDGEWAY' and Miss Ackerman putting a plastic tiara on Lani, who was already in tears. The others hugged and congratulated her. Freddie picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her. They ran off stage. Brad went into the hallway and caught up to them.

"Can you believe this?" she cried.

"I know!" Freddie exclaimed. "This is perfect!"

"Hey!" Brad called to them. They turned. "Congrats, Lani."

"Aw, thanks!" she gushed. "I was gonna go and find Sam so we could celebrate at the Groovy Smoothie!"

"There's been a huge change in plans. Here." He handed the note over to Freddie and Lani. They read it over a few times in shock.

"Oh my gosh," Lani breathed.

"I know what's going on," Freddie said.

"Well?" Brad and Lani asked.

"She's almost dead."


	36. Whatsername & I Can Hear The Bells

Brad ran out the building with Lani and Freddie. They all went inside Lani's car as she sped towards the Groovy Smoothie- she always went right for food. T-Bo hadn't seen her in a long time. Freddie's apartment was Sam-free. Spencer reminded Freddie that the last time he saw Sam was when the couple broke up, much to Lani and Brad's annoyance. Pini's had put a restraining order on the blonde when they caught her stealing lasanga and cheese from trays when waiters were distracted. Her trailer was empty, with her mother testing her luck in Vegas until summer's end. Velma said that she hadn't been at the station since the Miss Teenage Hairspray pagaent, and firmly reminded Freddie that he was banned from studio grounds. They were driving around when they saw a petite blonde walking home with a dress bag slung over her shoulder. Brad didn't wait for Lani to pull over; he jumped out and ran up to her. He turned her around to look right into Melanie's eyes.

"Brad!" she squeaked. "You scared me!"

"I thought you were Sam," he admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." Melanie let out a shaky sigh. "I'm finally on good terms with her and she's gone. It took so many years to regain her trust..."

"After all that we've been through, we're still best friends," Brad said. "I don't want to lose her sooner than I thought."

"No one does."

"Here." Brad took the dress from Melanie's grasp. "I'll walk home with you and we can start from there."

"Thanks." Melanie smiled sweetly and the two walked down the sidewalk toward the trailer park where they've both known as their second homes. Brad remembered walking here with Sam hundreds of times. He sighed.

_"Thought I ran into to you down on the street  
>Then it turned out to only be a dream<br>I made a point to burn all of the photographs  
>She went away and then I took a different path<br>I remember the face, but I can't recall the name  
>Now I wonder how Whatsername has been<em>

_Seems that she disappeared without a trace  
>Did she ever marry old what's his face?<br>I made a point to burn all of the photographs  
>She went away and then I took a different path<br>I remember the face but I can't recall the name  
>Now I wonder how Whatsername has been<em>

_Remember, whatever_  
><em>It seems like forever ago<em>  
><em>Remember, whatever<em>  
><em>It seems like forever ago<em>  
><em>The regrets are useless<em>  
><em>In my mind<em>  
><em>She's in my head<em>  
><em>I must confess<em>  
><em>The regrets are useless<em>  
><em>In my mind<em>  
><em>She's in my head<em>  
><em>From so long ago<em>

_Go, go, go, go_  
><em>Go, go, go, go<em>

_And in the darkest night_  
><em>If my memory serves me right<em>  
><em>I'll never turn back time<em>  
><em>Forgetting you, but not the time."<em>

"She hasn't left us yet," Melanie said through tears. "Don't you dare say that she's not."

"I'll never admit it to myself even when it becomes reality," Brad replied.

* * *

><p>"Do you mind waiting out here?" Freddie asked Lani as they pulled into the parking lot of the Bushwell Plaza. "I need to ask Lewbert and Carly some questions, and then I'll call my mom and see what she has to say."<p>

"Don't bother with Carly," Lani said. "She said that she had to be at work already. We'll look there later if we need to."

"Thanks." Freddie leaned over and kissed Lani. He pulled away smiling and exitted the car. Once he went inside the building's back entrance, Lani climbed into the backseat of the buggy and ducked down so she could change into denim shorts and a green tank top. She hung her dress up in the backseat and left the car. She sat on the hood and thought of Freddie.

_"I can hear the bells  
>Well don't you hear 'em chime?<br>Can't you feel my heart-beat keeping perfect time?  
>And all because he...<em>

_Touched me,_  
><em>He looked at me and stared yes he...<em>

_Bumped me,_  
><em>My heart was unprepared when he...<em>

_Tapped me,_  
><em>And knocked me off my feet<em>  
><em>one little touch now my life's complete<em>  
><em>'Cause when he...<em>

_Nudged me,_  
><em>Love put me in a fix yes it...<em>

_Hit me,_  
><em>Just like a tonne of bricks<em>  
><em>Yes my heart burst now I know what life's about<em>  
><em>One little touch and love's knocked me out and...<em>

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>My head is spinning.<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>Something's beginning.<em>  
><em>Everybody says that a girl who looks like me<em>  
><em>Can't win his love well just wait and see 'cause...<em>

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>Just hear them chiming,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>My temperature's climbing,<em>  
><em>I can't contain my joy 'cause I've finally found the boy I've been missin'<em>  
><em>LISTEN!<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells.<em>

_Round 1,_  
><em>He'll ask me on a date, and then...<em>

_Round 2,_  
><em>I'll primp but won't be late, because<em>

_Round 3's_  
><em>When we kiss inside his car!<em>  
><em>Won't go all the way but I'll go pretty far<em>

_Round 4,_  
><em>He'll ask me for my hand, and then...<em>

_Round 5,_  
><em>We'll book the wedding band, so by...<em>

_Round 6,_  
><em>Amber, much to your suprise<em>  
><em>This heavy-weight champion takes the prize and<em>

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>My ears are ringing,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>The brides-maids are singing,<em>  
><em>Everybody says that a guy who's such a gem<em>  
><em>won't look my way well the laughs on them 'cause<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>My father will smile,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>As he walks me down the isle,<em>  
><em>My mother starts to cry but I can't see 'cause Link and I are french kissin'<em>

_LISTEN!_  
><em>I can hear the bells.<em>

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>My head is reeling,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>I can't stop the peeling,<em>  
><em>Everybody warns that he won't like what he'll see but I know that he'll look inside of me yeah...<em>

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>Today's just the start 'cause,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells and,<em>  
><em>Till death do us part and,<em>  
><em>Even when we die we'll look down from up above remembering the night that we two fell in love, We both will shed a tear and<em>  
><em>he'll whisper as we're remanisn'<em>

_LISTEN!_

_I can hear the bells,_  
><em>I can hear the bells,<em>  
><em>I can hear the bells."<em>

"Dun-dun-dun," Freddie said in a deep tone. Lani jumped and clutched her chest.

"You scared me to death!" she cried.

"But you still _love_ me," he teased. He moved between her legs and put her arms around her waist. He leaned forward and kissed her. She kissed back and moved her hands onto his shoulders. He pulled away frowning.

"Did I do something wrong?" Lani asked.

"I was able to get a hold of my mom, and Sam is there," Freddie began.

"Oh my gosh, is she okay?" her best friend asked.

"No. It turns out that she's really close to dying... _really close_. I didn't see the marks on her skin, I was too mad at her for being bratty towards me. So my mom pulled strings so we can stay with her until she... leaves us." Tears fell from Freddie's eyes first. Lani was stunned. Guilt stabbed her back, reminding her that she saw the purple marks and thought that they were hickeys.

"So we're going to watch her die?" Lani asked weakly. Freddie nodded and bit his lip. Lani was crying now too.

"She was the first love of my life," Freddie admitted. "I'm sorry that I'm saying this, but a part of me will always love her. I'll understand if you get upset and dump me because of that."

"You have every right to be this way," Lani said. "First loves are hard to get over. I'll bring you to the hospital while there's still a Sam to see." They exchanged one last heartfelt kiss before sliding into the car and quickly making their way towards the hospital.


	37. Death of a Saint

**_(A/N: Please don't kill me for this chapter! It makes me just as sad as it probably [and hopefully- sorry!] will make you._**

**_P.S.- The songs for this chapter are_** Before The Lobotomy (Reprise)_**,**_Your Eyes_**, and**_I'll Cover You (Reprise)_**. It was too long to add for the chapter heading, so I improved the title with a tweaked version of lyrics from Homecoming.)**_

* * *

><p>Sam's eyes opened slowly and heavily. She had refused the hospital's many drugs because she knew that they were useless now. Without concealer and other makeup covering her, the purple brandings were much more visible than anyone would have suspected. She knew that at least her sister would be searching to the ends of the earth looking for her. Lani, Jamie, Ariana, and even Gibby would too. She lost friends when she won the Miss Teenage Hairspray pagaent. She lost even more friends to the fact that she was dying of AIDS. She didn't know whether or not people liked the song she had played. She came here in her dress and even carried in her guitar as well. For once, Miss Benson was sympathetic toward Sam. She hugn up the dress and put the guitar in the corner. Sam still had to dress in the hospital gown and was forced to take her AZT. Now Sam awaited Death to arrive and take her away.<p>

_"Dreaming  
>I was only dreaming<br>Of another place and time  
>Where my family's from<em>

_Singing  
>I can hear them singing<br>When the rain has washed away  
>All these scattered dreams<em>

_Dying  
>Right now I am dying<br>Hearts are washed in misery  
>Drenched in gasoline<em>

_Laughing  
>There is no more laughing<br>Songs of yesterday now live  
>In the underground..."<em>

"AAHH!" Sam shouted as intense pain shot through her body. She secretly wished that her pain and suffering would end sooner so she could escape it forever. She saw the heart monitor draw the lines of her slowly beathing heart. Down, up, down, long line, down, up, down, long line, and a beep to go with each zigzag. She wanted it to be silent so it would stop giving her a headache. A knock was on the door. Sam looked up to see Freddie and Lani.

"Hey there," Freddie said awkwardly.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sam asked hoarsely. Lani gasped and tried to force herself to not cry. Freddie's eyes widened. Sam knew why; one day, he'd be in her position, thinking the same thoughts about how it would all go down in a matter of seconds.

"Why did you run away?" Lani questioned. "Why have you been hiding the fact that you're dying from us? From me, your best friend?"

"Because I knew that you would react this way," Sam answered. Freddie put his hand on Lani's shoulder.

"I think you should say your good-byes now and wait in the hall," he suggested. "It's going to be harder on all of us if you're like this." Lani nodded and ran up to Sam, hugging her too tightly for comfort.

"You're always going to be my best friend," Lani sobbed. Sam hesitantly hugged her back.

"You're always going to be my best friend too," Sam replied. She didn't cry. She couldn't cry. She wouldn't cry. In fact, she denied herself the ability to. It would only make things worse. Lani pulled away and walked into the hall. Freddie closed the door and sat next to Sam.

"I wish you would've been more open about this," he said.

"I'm already being attacked for being diseased," she replied. "This would prove that I'm weak and vulnerable and I don't want to be remembered for that. You're going to be remembering me as the girl you've dated three times."

"I'll always remember you as my first kiss." Sam froze. "My first date. My first love. And the reason I wrote my first song." Freddie reached over and picked up Sam's guitar.

"What... why... when?" Freddie shushed her by placing his fingers over her lips. Sam began hacking violently and lied down, her eyes half shut and her skin greying.

"Just listen," he pleaded. He began strumming chords on his guitar, his focus entirely on Sam.

_"Your eyes  
>As we said our good-byes<br>Can't get them out of my mind  
>And I find that I can't hide from<br>Your eyes  
>The ones that took my by surprise<br>The night you came into my life  
>Where there's moonlight<br>I see your eyes_

_How'd I let you slip away  
>When I'm longing so to hold you<br>Now I'd die for one more day  
>'Cause there's something I should have told you<br>Yes, there's something I should have told you_

_When I look into your eyes  
>Why does distance make us wise?<br>You were the song all along  
>And before the song dies<em>

_I should tell you  
>I should tell you<br>I have always loves you  
>You can see it in my eyes-"<em>

The heart monitor let out a loud continuous beep and Sam's chest stopped rising, but slowly fell. Her eyes fell shut, signalling the end of Sam. Freddie put the guitar back in the corner and shook Sam slightly. He wouldn't let it happen.

_"SAMMY!"_

Lani burst back into the room and stopped when she heard the beep. She rushed to Freddie's side and hugged him. Melanie and Brad came in seconds later and were shocked at the sight. They hugged each others and let tears fall silently. Others came in as well; Ariana, Jamie, Wendy, Valerie, Jonah, Pete, Patrice, Gibby, Shannon, Wesley, Harper, Kevin, and even Spencer. The last to arrive was Carly, wearing a long coat over her work clothes. Freddie looked around to see the mourners tearful over Sam. He took a deep breath.

_"Live in my house  
>I'll be you're shelter<br>Just pay me back  
>With one thousand kisses<br>Be my lover  
>And I'll cover you<br>Ye-ea-ah."_

No one else said a word. They were all still in utter shock that this had happened.

_"Open your door  
>I'll be your tenant<br>Don't got much baggage  
>To lay at your feet<br>But sweet kisses I've got to spare  
>I'll be there and I'll cover you<br>Whoa-oa-oa-oh_

_I think they meant it  
>When they said you can't buy love<br>Now I know you can rent it  
>A new lease<br>You are my love  
>On life<br>Be my life."_

Lani didn't react to Freddie. She knew how much he loved her. It would make her the bad guy. And she found this one hundred percent appropriate.

_"I've longed to discover somthing  
>As true as this is<br>Ye-ea-ea-ah."_

Melanie shuddered.

_"So with a thousand sweet kisses!"_

Everyone else mourned along side of her.

_"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes!"_

Freddie smiled and let another tear fall.

_"If you're cold and you're lonely."_

_"With a thousand sweet kisses (Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear)!"_

_"You've got one nickel only."_

_"With a thousand sweet kisses (Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes)!"_

_"When you're worn out and tired."_

_"With a thousand sweet kisses (Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred- measure a year)!"_

Everyone looked at the hysterical Freddie.

_"When you're heart has expired!"_

No one wanted to hear those words ever again.

_"Oh, lover  
>I'll cover you-"<em>

_"Ye-ea-ea-ea-ea-ah!"_

_"Oh, lover-"_

Freddie sniffled.

_"I'll cover you..."_

_"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes  
>Five hundred twenty-five thousand seasons of love..."<em>

_"I'll cover you  
>Whoa-oa-oa-oa-oh!"<em>

It was something they all needed to accept now- Samantha Puckett was dead.


	38. Love Heals & You Can't Stop The Beat

_**(A/N: The second-to-last chapter! Dun dun dun! Anywho, please tell me your favorite songs from the story! [Check Chapter 28 for the list of songs.] What you guys did/didn't like matters to me a lot!)**_

* * *

><p>"Another school year has passed here at Ridgeway High School," Principal Franklin said solemnly into the microphone. The seniors were quiet and mournful. "As you all know, we've lost a very valuable member of our class- Samantha Puckett. She was supposed to give a speech as our class president, but under certain circumstances, that cannot happen anymore. Her funeral had been held earlier in the week, and I did recognize many of your faces as supporters. Our class valedictorian, Fredward Benson, decided that instead of giving a speech, him and some others will dedicate a song to Sam after the diplomas are handed out." He proceded to hand out all one hundred fifty diplomas to the graduating class of 2012. All of them had smiles on their face- after all, they had just graduated- and graciously accepted their diplomas. After the last person was seated, Lani lead the group onto the stage where eight microphones had been set out. After her was Gibby, then Jamie, then Brad, then Freddie, then Carly, then Ariana, and Melanie brought up the rear. Lani stepped up to her microphone first.<p>

_"Like a breath of midnight air  
>Like a lighthouse<br>Like a prayer."_

Ariana stepped up to her mic.

_"Like a flicker and the flare the sky reveals."_

The two friends shared a glimpse and smiled.

_"Like a walk along the shore  
>That you've done a thousand times before<br>Like the ocean's roar  
>Love heals."<em>

The duo stepped back as Carly stepped forward.

_"There are those who shield their hearts  
>Those who quit before they start."<em>

Freddie stepped up.

_"Who've frozen up the part of them that feels."_

The ex-couple looked at each other and smiled slightly.

_"In the dark, they've lost their sight  
>Like a ship without a star in the night<br>But hold on tight!"_

Now everyone stepped to their microphones.

_"Love heals!"_

Carly began dancing to the beat a bit.

_"When you feel like you can't go on!"_

_"Love heals!"_

_"Hold on to love  
>It'll keep you strong!"<em>

_"Love heals!"_

_"When you feel like you can't go on!"_

_"Love heals!"_

Now Freddie took his chance.

_"Hold on to love  
>And it will bring you home!"<em>

Everyone but Lani and Gibby stepped back.

_"Love heals when pain's too much to bear  
>When you reach out your hand<br>And only the wind is there."_

Lani and Gibby moved backwards as Jamie and Melanie got closer.

_"When life's unfair  
>When things like us are not to be."<em>

The duos switched again.

_"Love heals when you feel so small  
>Like a grain of sand<br>Like nothing at all."_

Now Brad and Carly moved up.

_"When you look out at the sea  
>That's where love will be<br>That's where you'll find me  
>You'll fine me."<em>

Brad moved back, but Carly didn't.

_"So if you fear the storm ahead!"_

Lani stepped up as well.

_"As you lie awake in bed!"_

_"And there's no one-"_

_"No one-"_

_"No one there to stroke your head!"_

_"And your mind-"_

_"Your mind-"_

_"Your mind reels!"_

Now it was just Melanie up.

_"If your face is salty wet  
>And you're drowning in regret<br>Just..."_

Now everyone stood up and began chanting with the eight on stage.

_"Don't forget  
>Don't forget<br>Don't forget  
>Don't forget<br>Don't forget  
>It's all right<br>Love heals  
>Love heals<br>Love heals  
>Love heals<br>Love heals!"_

"Congratulations to Ridgeway High School's Class of 2012," Principal Franklin said. "You did it!" Everyone threw their caps into the air and stripped out of their robes into the dress clothes they wore underneath. Everyone began dancing with each other. Lani seized her microphone after a few moments of stripping.

_"You can't stop and avalanche  
>As it races down the hill<br>You can try to stop the seasons, girl  
>But you know you never will<br>And you can try to stop my dancing feet  
>But I just cannot sit still<em>

_'Cause the world keeps spinning  
>Round and round<br>And my heart's keeping time  
>To the speed of sound<br>I was lost 'til I heard the drums  
>And I found my way!"<em>

Freddie grabbed his microphone and joined his girlfriend.

_"'Cause you can't stop the beat_

_Ever since this whole world began  
>A woman found that if she shook it<br>She could shake up a man  
>And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it<br>The best that I can today_

_'Cause you can't stop the  
>Motion of the ocean<br>Or the sun in the sky  
>You can wonder if you wanna<br>But I never ask why  
>And if you try to hold me down<br>I'm gonna spit in your eye and say  
>That you can't stop the beat!"<em>

Lani and Freddie kissed, not caring who saw as Miss Benson let out a sound of being horrified. Carly grabbed her microphone.

_"You can't stop a river  
>As it rushed to the sea!"<em>

Brad did too.

_"You can try to stop the hands of time  
>But you know it just can't be!"<em>

_"And if they try to stop us, Bradley,  
>I'll call the N-double A-C-P<br>'Cause the world keeps spinning  
>Round and round<br>And my heart's keeping time  
>To the speed of sound<br>I was lost 'til I heard the drums  
>Then I found me way-"<em>

Brad and Carly looked at each other and shrugged before dancing.

_"'Cause you can't stop the beat_

_Ever since we first saw the light  
>A man and woman like to shake it<br>On a Saturday night  
>And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it<br>With all my might today_

_'Cause you can't stop  
>The motion of the ocean<br>Or the rain from above  
>You can try to stop the paradise<br>We're dreaming of  
>But you cannot stop the rhythm<br>Of two hearts in love to stay  
>'Cause you can't stop the beat!"<em>

Carly leaned forward and pecked Brad on the cheeks. They both blushed, looked down, and at the same time lunged for each other and began kissing passionately. Gibby took this as his opportunity to shine.

_"You can't stop my happiness  
>'Cause I like the way I am<br>And you can't stop my knife and fork  
>When I see a Christmas ham<br>And if you don't like the way I look  
>Well I just don't give a damn!"<em>

For one last time, Gibby ripped off his shirt in public.

_"'Cause the world keeps spinning  
>Round and round<br>And my heart's keeping time  
>To the speed of sound<br>I was lost 'til I heard the drum  
>Then I found my way<br>'Cause you can't stop the beat_

_Ever since this old world began  
>A woman found that if she shook it<br>She could shake up a man  
>And so I'm gonna shake and shimmy it<br>The best that I can today_

_'Cause you can't stop  
>The motion of the ocean<br>Or the sun in the sky  
>You can wonder if you wanna<br>But I never ask why  
>And if you try to hold me down<br>I'm gonna spit in your eye and say  
>That you can't stop the beat!"<em>

Gibby grabbed Melanie and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away and mouthed, _Sorry_. Everyone grabbed their microphones and the entire class was joined together by this.

_"You can't stop  
>The motion of the ocean<br>Or the rain from above  
>And you can try to stop the paradise<br>We're dreaming of  
>But you cannot stop the rhythm<br>Of two hearts in love to stay  
>'Cause you can't stop the beat<br>You can't stop the beat  
>You can't stop the beat<br>You can't stop the beat_

_You can't stop the beat!"_

Everyone hugged each other. They survived high school. Through love and hate, life and death, singing and dancing, fighting and stripping, and all of the emotional stuff in between, they were all still friends in the end.


	39. Finale

_**(A/N: I finally present the finale of iCarly: The Musical!)**_

* * *

><p>Six girls sat on their chairs with the chairs turned backwards. Patrice held a picture of Pete. Valerie held one of Jonah. Wendy held one of Freddie. Shannon held one of Uncle Sam. Melanie held one of Brad. Missy held one of Shane. At once, they stood up on their seats and ripped the pictures in half. They threw the shreds into the air and jumped backwards from their chairs.<p>

_"They had it coming!  
>They had it coming!<br>They only had themselves  
>To blame<br>If you'd have been there  
>If you'd have seen it<br>I betcha you would have  
>Done the same- SEE!"<em>

* * *

><p>Shane, Pete, and Jonah ran through the airport and high-fived random travellers. They would stop to dance with random women that they found attractive.<p>

_"Sha la la la la la, my oh my  
>Look like the boy too shy<br>Ain't gonna kiss the girl  
>Sha la la la la la, ain't that sad<br>Ain't it a shame, too bad  
>He gonna miss the girl- THERE!"<em>

* * *

><p>Harper played the guitar, Wesley did a beatbox sound, and Emily shook a tambourine while Kevin danced. They all began dancing together.<p>

_"The blacker the berry  
>The sweeter the juice<br>I could say it ain't so  
>But darlin', what's the use?<em>

_The darker the chocolate  
>The richer the taste<br>And there's where it's at  
>Now run and tell- THAT!"<em>

* * *

><p>Corny Collins was dancing in front of the cameras with the original cast of <em>The Corny Collins Show<em>.

_"Don't forget your algebra  
>And calculus<br>You can always do your homework  
>On the morning bus<br>They can tell a verb from a noun  
>They're the nicest kids in town<em>

_R-r-r-roll call!"_

He stepped aside while the kids introduced themselves.

_"I'm Trina!"_

_"Tori!"_

_"Robbie!"_

_"Cat!"_

_"Andrè!"_

_"Beck!"_

_"And I'm... Jade!"_

_"They're the nicest kids in- LOOK!"_

* * *

><p>Lani climbed onto one of the cafeteria tables with a spotlight on her.<p>

_"Come on babe,  
>Why don't we paint the town<br>And all that jazz."_

Jamie got onto the opposite side of the table.

_"I'm gonna rogue my knees  
>And roll my stockings down<br>And all that jazz."_

Ariana stood in between her two best friends.

_"Start the car  
>I know whoopee spot<br>Where the gin is cold  
>But the piano's hot!"<em>

All three did a shimmy forwards and backwards.

_"It's just a noisy hall  
>Where there's a nightly brawl<br>And all that jazz- SEE!"_

* * *

><p>Spencer jumped down the stairs onto the landing. His landing was unbalanced and he fell the rest of the way down the stairs.<p>

_"A clean- but all- American  
>Really ain't so clean<br>His royal auditorium  
>Is a murder scene!<em>

_It's your favorite son  
>It's your favorite son<em>

_But isn't a drag?  
>Isn't it a drag?<br>Isn't it a drag?  
>It's pretty bloody sad<br>But isn't it a drag? THERE!"_

* * *

><p>Tasha climbed onto the couch over to Gibby. Gibby rolled his eyes.<p>

_"Why don't you forget that stuff?  
>You look like you're sixteen-"<em>

_"I'm nineteen!  
>But I'm old for my age<br>I'm just born to be bad!"_

_"I once was born to be bad  
>I used to shiver like that-"<em>

_"I have no heat I told you!"_

_"I used to sweat..."_

_"I've got a cold!"_

_"Uh huh  
>I used to be a smoker!"<em>

_"But now and then I like to-"_

_"Uh huh!"_

_"Feel good!"_

"OVER THERE!"

* * *

><p>Brad came out of the 7-Eleven with a Dr. Gibbs in his hands. He took a sip and growled. He threw the bottle against the building and threw his hands up in the air.<p>

_"City of the dead  
>At the end of another lost highway<br>Signs misleading to nowhere  
>City of the damned<br>Lost children with dirty faces today  
>No one really seems to care- SEE!"<em>

* * *

><p>Carly slid from the top of a pole to the bottom slowly. She grabbed dollar bills from around her and stuffed them in her top and shorts, crawling across the floor.<p>

_"Let's go out tonight  
>I have to go out tonight<br>You wanna play?  
>Let's run away<br>We won't be back  
>Before it's Christmas Day<br>Take me out tonight_

_Meow... HA!"_

* * *

><p>Freddie climbed out of his bedroom onto the fire escape.<p>

_"Another time, another place  
>Our temperature would climb<br>There'd be a long embrace  
>We'd do another dance<br>It'd be another play  
>Looking for romance?<br>Come back another day  
>Another day- TO THE STAGE!"<em>

* * *

><p>Eight spotlights lit up on the stage. From left to right stood Lani, Gibby, Tasha, Brad, Freddie, Carly, and Spencer. This time, there was a space between Carly and Spencer. They all stood perfectly still, only moving their mouths.<p>

_"FIve hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes  
>Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear<br>Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes  
>How do you measure, measure a year?<em>

_In daylights, in sunsets,  
>In midnights, in cups of coffee,<br>In inches, in miles,  
>In laughter, in strife,<br>In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes  
>How do you measure a year in the life?<em>

_How about love?  
>How about love?<br>How about love?  
>Measure in love<br>Seasons of love  
>Seasons of love."<em>

A new voice entered solo. Everyone was shocked to see Sam.

_"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes  
>Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan<br>Five hundred twenty-fivev thousand six hundred minutes  
>How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?"<em>

Freddie grinned. He couldn't believe it. He stared as she slowly made her way to the empty spot.

_"In truths that she learned  
>Or in ways that he cried<br>In bridges he burned  
>Or the way that she died!"<em>

He reached out his hands towards her. She did the same, but his hand went right through hers. He frowned slightly as Sam went to the spot between the Shay siblings. He smiled though; one last time with Sam.

_"It's time now to sing out  
>Though the story never ends<br>Let's celebrate  
>Remeber a year in the life of friends<em>

_How about love (Oh, you've got to, you've got to, you've got to remember in-)  
>How about love (You know that love is a gift from up above!)<br>How about love (You've got remember in-)  
>How about love (Measure- measure your life in lo-ove!)<em>

_Measure in love  
>Seasons of love (Measure your life)<br>Seasons of love!"_

Everyone took one last glance at Sam as she faded away.

_"Measure your life in love!"_


End file.
